ReadingRate

Add a book to the library

add_book_to_library

Idempotent

Adds one book to the reader's ReadingRate library. It goes on the want-to-read list unless a status is given: "reading" for a book they are reading now, "read" for one they have finished (with an optional rating and finish date), or "stopped".

Use when the user asks to add a book to their library or reading list, or says they are reading or have finished a book that is not in their library yet. Identify the book with exactly one of book_id, isbn or title_author.

A book already in the library is left where it is, and the result says which shelf it is on; to move it, use update_book_status. A book added as read also goes on the reader's ReadingRate activity feed; other readers see that they finished it while the reader's profile is public and shows finished books (new accounts start private, and finished books start hidden). A book given by title and author that is not in the ReadingRate catalog is looked up in Google Books and added to the catalog, which is public, and ReadingRate then analyzes it; so add a book named by title only once the reader has confirmed the title.

Examples:

{"title_author": {"title": "The Great Gatsby", "author": "F. Scott Fitzgerald"}}
{"isbn": "9780140449136", "status": "read", "rating": 5}
{"book_id": "", "status": "reading"}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`isbn`	No	ISBN-10 or ISBN-13
`rating`	No	Rating from 1 to 5, for a book added as read
`status`	No	The shelf to put the book on instead of want-to-read
`book_id`	No	The book's ReadingRate id, from another ReadingRate tool's results
`title_author`	No	The book's title and author. Close spellings match.
`date_finished`	No	Finish date, YYYY-MM-DD, for a book added as read (default: today)

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`book`	No	The book
`rating`	No	The rating recorded, when the book went in as read
`message`	Yes	Human-readable result
`success`	Yes	True when the book was added; false when it was already in the library
`tbr_count`	No	Want-to-read list size after adding
`new_status`	No	The shelf the book went on, when a status was given
`date_started`	No	Start date, when the book went in as reading
`date_finished`	No	Finish date, when the book went in as read
`existing_status`	No	The shelf the book was already on, when it was already in the library
`is_new_catalog_entry`	No	True when the book was not in the catalog and was added to it
`status_change_failed`	No	The book was added but the status asked for did not take
`reading_time_estimate`	No	Estimated reading time at an average pace

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedNov 2, 2026

TDQS

A4.6/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare non-readOnly, openWorld, idempotent, non-destructive, so the bar is lower, but the description adds substantial context beyond them: an already-present book is left in place and the result reports its shelf, read status triggers an activity feed entry with privacy caveats, and title/author misses fall back to Google Books which makes the catalog entry public. It does not spell out auth needs or rate limits, so 4 rather than 5.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core action and the status variants, then routing, then side effects, then examples. Every sentence carries distinct information, though the side-effect paragraph is dense and the description runs long for a 6-param tool with full schema coverage.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present the description needn't document return values, yet it still tells the agent the result reports which shelf the book landed on. Combined with the fallback behavior, privacy defaults and exclusivity rule, nothing an agent needs to call this correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description contributes a constraint the schema lacks entirely: identify the book with exactly one of book_id, isbn or title_author. It also explains that status overrides the default want-to-read shelf and that rating/date_finished apply only to read status, adding real meaning on top of the enum.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource (adds one book to the reader's library) and immediately scopes it against the closest sibling by naming update_book_status for moving and implying add_matched_books_to_library is the batch variant. An agent can distinguish it without opening the schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly states when to use (user asks to add a book, or says they are reading/finished a book not in their library), the alternative for the move case (update_book_status), and a prerequisite (confirm the title before adding a title-only book). Nothing is left to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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