diff --git a/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.rkt b/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.rkt
index 92674a2315..ec31e78859 100644
--- a/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.rkt
+++ b/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.rkt
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@
                             ".")
                      null)
                  (if (and (not doi) url) `(" " ,[(url-rendering) url]) null)
-                 (if doi `(" " ,[(doi-rendering) doi]) null)
+                 (if doi `(" " ,[(doi-rendering) doi] ,(if note "." null)) null)
                  (if note `(" " ,note) null))))
 
 (define-syntax (define-cite stx)
@@ -540,11 +540,60 @@
 (define (given-names->initials str)
   (regexp-replace* #rx"(.)[^ ]*( |$)" str "\\1. "))
 
+;; return content for v, preserve false
+(define (contentify v)
+  (if (or (not v) (content? v) (string? v))
+      v
+      (format "~a" v)))
+;; return string for v, preserve false
+(define (stringify v)
+  (and v (content->string v)))
+
 (module+ test
   (require rackunit)
   (check-equal? (given-names->initials "Matthew") "M. ")
   (check-equal? (given-names->initials "Matthew R.") "M. R. ")
-  (check-equal? (given-names->initials "Matthew Raymond") "M. R. "))
+  (check-equal? (given-names->initials "Matthew Raymond") "M. R. ")
+  (check-equal? (content->string (journal-location (bold "Journal of Things"))) "Journal of Things")
+  (check-equal? (content->string (author-name (italic "Ada") "Lovelace")) "Ada Lovelace")
+
+  (check-false (contentify #f))
+  (check-false (stringify #f))
+  (check-equal? (contentify 42) "42")
+  (check-equal? (stringify 42) "42")
+  (define emphasized (italic "foo"))
+  (check-eq? (contentify emphasized) emphasized)
+  (check-equal? (stringify emphasized) "foo")
+
+  (define no-note
+    (make-bib #:title "Title" #:doi "10.1234/foo"))
+  (define with-note
+    (make-bib #:title "Title"
+              #:doi "10.1234/foo"
+              #:note "A note"))
+  (check-equal?
+   (content->string
+    (bib->entry no-note author+date-style #f
+                default-render-date-bib 1))
+    "Title. doi:10.1234/foo")
+  (check-equal?
+   (content->string
+    (bib->entry with-note author+date-style #f
+                default-render-date-bib 1))
+   "Title. doi:10.1234/foo. A note")
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (content->string
+    (book-location
+     #:edition "second"
+     #:chapter 3
+     #:series "LNCS"
+     #:volume 42
+     #:number 7
+     #:pages '(10 20)
+     #:publisher "Springer"
+     #:address "Berlin"))
+   "Second edition, 3, LNCS, 42(7), pp. 10--20. Springer, Berlin"))
 
 (define (proceedings-location
          #:editor [editor_ #f]
@@ -562,7 +611,7 @@
     (concatenate-elements
      #:separator ", "
      (and editor_ (editor editor_))
-     @italic{@elem{Proc. @to-string[location]}}
+     (and location @italic{@elem{Proc. @contentify[location]}})
      (series-volume-number-pages-element series volume number pages)))
    #:separator ". "
    (organization-publisher-address-element organization publisher address)))
@@ -573,7 +622,7 @@
          #:number [number #f]
          #:pages [pages #f])
   (concatenate-elements
-   @italic{@to-string[location]}
+   (and location @italic{@contentify[location]})
    #:separator " "
    (series-volume-number-pages-element #f volume number pages)))
 
@@ -582,7 +631,7 @@
   (concatenate-elements
    (and url ((url-rendering) url))
    #:separator " "
-   (and accessed @elem{(accessed @to-string[accessed])})))
+   (and accessed @elem{(accessed @contentify[accessed])})))
 
 (define (string-capitalize str)
   (if (non-empty-string? str)
@@ -611,7 +660,7 @@
    (concatenate-elements
     #:separator ", "
     (edition-element edition)
-    (to-string* chapter)
+    (contentify chapter)
     (and editor_ (editor editor_))
     (series-volume-number-pages-element series volume number pages))
    #:separator ". "
@@ -621,12 +670,12 @@
          #:howpublished [howpublished #f]
          #:address [address #f])
   (concatenate-elements #:separator ". "
-    (to-string* howpublished)
-    (to-string* address)))
+    (contentify howpublished)
+    (contentify address)))
 
 (define (misc-location
          #:howpublished [howpublished #f])
-  (and howpublished (elem (to-string howpublished))))
+  (and howpublished (elem (contentify howpublished))))
 
 (define (manual-location
          #:organization [organization #f]
@@ -634,7 +683,7 @@
   (concatenate-elements
    (edition-element edition)
    #:separator ", "
-   (to-string* organization)))
+   (contentify organization)))
 
 (define (techrpt-location
          #:institution institution
@@ -642,7 +691,7 @@
          #:number [number #f]
          #:address [address #f])
   (concatenate-elements #:separator ", "
-    (to-string* institution) (to-string* type) (to-string* number) (to-string* address)))
+    (contentify institution) (contentify type) (contentify number) (contentify address)))
 
 (define (dissertation-location
          #:institution institution
@@ -650,10 +699,10 @@
          #:type [type #f]
          #:address [address #f])
   (concatenate-elements #:separator ", "
-    @elem{@to-string[degree] dissertation}
-    (to-string institution)
-    (to-string* type)
-    (to-string* address)))
+    @elem{@contentify[degree] dissertation}
+    (contentify institution)
+    (contentify type)
+    (contentify address)))
 
 (define (book-chapter-location
          location
@@ -667,7 +716,7 @@
          #:publisher [publisher #f]
          #:address [address #f])
   (concatenate-elements #:separator " "
-   @elem{In @italic{@elem{@to-string[location]}}}
+   (and location @elem{In @italic{@elem{@contentify[location]}}})
    (book-location #:edition edition #:chapter chapter #:editor editor_
          #:series series #:volume volume #:number number #:pages pages
          #:publisher publisher #:address address)))
@@ -675,21 +724,25 @@
 ;; ----------------------------------------
 
 (define (author-name first last #:suffix [suffix #f])
+  (define first* (contentify first))
+  (define last* (contentify last))
+  (define suffix* (contentify suffix))
+
+  ;; Plain-text projections are needed for sorting.
+  (define first-string (stringify first))
+  (define last-string (stringify last))
+  (define suffix-string (stringify suffix))
   (make-author-element
    #f
-   (list
-    (format "~a ~a~a"
-            (if (abbreviate-given-names)
-                (given-names->initials first)
-                first)
-            last
-            (if suffix
-                (format " ~a" suffix)
-                "")))
-   (format "~a ~a~a" last first (if suffix
-                                    (format " ~a" suffix)
-                                    ""))
-   last))
+   (concatenate-elements #:separator " "
+    (if (abbreviate-given-names)
+              (given-names->initials first-string)
+              first*)
+    last*
+    suffix*)
+   (format "~a ~a~a" last-string first-string
+           (if suffix-string (format " ~a" suffix-string) ""))
+   last*))
 
 (define (org-author-name org)
   (make-author-element
@@ -749,25 +802,24 @@
      (author-element-names name)
      (author-element-cite name))))
 
-(define (to-string v) (format "~a" v))
-(define (to-string* v) (and v (to-string v)))
 (define (edition-element edition)
-  (and edition @elem{@(string-capitalize (to-string edition)) edition}))
+  (and edition
+       @elem{@(string-capitalize (stringify edition)) edition}))
 (define (pages-element pages)
-  (and pages @elem{pp. @(to-string (car pages))--@(to-string (cadr pages))}))
+  (and pages @elem{pp. @(contentify (car pages))--@(contentify (cadr pages))}))
 (define (series-volume-number-pages-element series volume number pages)
   (concatenate-elements
-   (to-string* series)
+   (contentify series)
    #:separator ", "
    (concatenate-elements
-    (to-string* volume)
-    (and number @elem{(@to-string[number])}))
+    (contentify volume)
+    (and number @elem{(@contentify[number])}))
    (pages-element pages)))
 (define (organization-publisher-address-element organization publisher address)
   (concatenate-elements
-   (to-string* organization)
+   (contentify organization)
    #:separator ". "
    (concatenate-elements
-    (to-string* publisher)
+    (contentify publisher)
     #:separator ", "
-    (to-string* address))))
+    (contentify address))))
diff --git a/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.tex b/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.tex
index 8e95ce9711..9d692141cd 100644
--- a/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.tex
+++ b/scribble-lib/scriblib/autobib.tex
@@ -1,15 +1,62 @@
+\usepackage{needspace}
 
-\newenvironment{AutoBibliography}{\begin{small}}{\end{small}}
-\newcommand{\Autobibentry}[1]{\hspace{0.05\linewidth}\parbox[t]{0.95\linewidth}{\parindent=-0.05\linewidth#1\vspace{1.0ex}}}
-\newcommand{\Autobibtarget}[1]{\phantomsection#1}
+\newenvironment{AutoBibliography}
+  {\begin{small}}
+  {\end{small}}
 
-\usepackage{calc}
-\newlength{\ABcollength}
-\newcommand{\Autocolbibnumber}[1]{\parbox[t]{5ex}{\hfill#1~~\vspace{1.0ex}}}
-\newcommand{\Autocolbibentry}[1]{\setlength{\ABcollength}{\linewidth-5ex}\parbox[t]{\ABcollength}{#1\vspace{1.0ex}}}
+% Minimum number of lines that must remain before starting an entry.
+\newcount\AutobibNeedlines
+\AutobibNeedlines=5
 
-\newcommand{\Autobibref}[1]{#1}
+% Hanging indentation of ordinary bibliography entries.
+\newlength{\ABindent}
+\setlength{\ABindent}{0.05\linewidth}
+
+% Additional indentation of subsequent paragraph first lines.
+\newlength{\AutobibParindent}
+\setlength{\AutobibParindent}{1.5em}
+
+% Width reserved for the number in a numbered bibliography.
+\newlength{\AutobibNumberWidth}
+\setlength{\AutobibNumberWidth}{5ex}
 
+\newcommand{\Autobibentry}[1]{%
+  \par
+  \Needspace{\AutobibNeedlines\baselineskip}%
+  \begingroup
+    \emergencystretch=2em
+    \tolerance=1000
+    \leftskip=\ABindent
+    \parindent=\AutobibParindent
+    \noindent
+    \hspace*{-\ABindent}%
+    #1%
+    \par
+  \endgroup
+  \addvspace{1.0ex}%
+}
+
+\newcommand{\Autobibtarget}[1]{\phantomsection#1}
+\newcommand{\Autocolbibnumber}[1]{%
+  \par
+  \Needspace{\AutobibNeedlines\baselineskip}%
+  \begingroup
+    \emergencystretch=2em
+    \tolerance=1000
+    \leftskip=\AutobibNumberWidth
+    \parindent=\AutobibParindent
+    \noindent
+    \hspace*{-\AutobibNumberWidth}%
+    \makebox[\AutobibNumberWidth][r]{#1~~}%
+    \ignorespaces
+}
+\newcommand{\Autocolbibentry}[1]{%
+    #1%
+    \par
+  \endgroup
+  \addvspace{1.0ex}%
+}
+\newcommand{\Autobibref}[1]{#1}
 \providecommand{\AutobibLink}[1]{#1}
 
 \newcommand{\pseudodoi}[1]{#1}
diff --git a/scribble-lib/scriblib/bibtex.rkt b/scribble-lib/scriblib/bibtex.rkt
index 7bedc96f69..9d44217bdf 100644
--- a/scribble-lib/scriblib/bibtex.rkt
+++ b/scribble-lib/scriblib/bibtex.rkt
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@
                         #:title (support-escapes (raw-attr "title"))
                         #:date (raw-attr "year") ;; TODO: optional month
                         #:location (proceedings-location
-                                      (raw-attr "booktitle")
+                                      (raw-attr* "booktitle")
                                       ;; optional:
                                       #:editor (parse-author (raw-attr "editor"))
                                       #:series (raw-attr "series")
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@
                         #:date (raw-attr "year") ;; TODO: optional month
                         ;; optional:
                         #:location (proceedings-location
-                                      (raw-attr "booktitle")
+                                      (raw-attr* "booktitle")
                                       ;; optional:
                                       #:editor (parse-author (raw-attr "editor"))
                                       #:volume (raw-attr "volume") ;; volume OR number