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Source Library

by io.github.Embassy-of-the-Free-Mind

Get Book

get_book
Read-onlyIdempotent

READ PIPELINE step 1 — DISCOVER. START HERE for any named work or author. Returns the book's AI-generated summary, chapter list, edition metadata, DOI, page counts, IIIF manifest, and the cover image (inline, so you and the user can see the book). LANGUAGE: language is what is printed on THIS EDITION's leaves, which is frequently not the language the work was written in. Where they differ the response also carries work_language, text_role (original / period-translation / modern-translation) and a translation_note — read them before describing a passage as the author's own words, because an edition can be a translation of a translation (de Slane's 1863 French Muqaddimah, read in English, is English←French←Arabic). Absent work_language means the edition is in the work's own language. Use list_editions to find an original-language witness. The summary is typically a multi-paragraph orientation covering the book's argument, structure, and significance — often answering the question without further searching. Then: get_book_text to read a chapter or page range (step 2), get_quote / get_quotes to lock specific pages with full citation apparatus (step 3). search_within_book locates passages inside this book. MULTI-WORK VOLUMES: where the scans carry running heads, contains_works lists the works the volume ACTUALLY holds with their page spans, taken from the heads the printer put on each leaf. Trust it over the title — collected-works titles routinely name works the volume does not contain, and the volume holding a work often does not name it. If contains_works is absent the scans have no heads to read; status "insufficient-heads" means it was examined and could not be decided. EDITIONS: editions says which languages this book can be READ in and how many pages each covers ({ en: 357 } on most books, { en: 357, es: 357 } where a localized edition exists). Pass a code as lang to get_quote, get_quotes, get_book_text or search_within_book to read that edition; without it you get English.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
book_idYesThe book ID

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false. The description goes beyond by detailing language handling, multi-work volume logic, edition behavior, and special statuses like 'insufficient-heads' and absent work_language, providing substantial behavioral context not present in annotations.

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?

The description is long but well-structured with clear section headers (LANGUAGE, MULTI-WORK VOLUMES, EDITIONS) and front-loads the most critical 'START HERE' directive. Some redundancy exists, but each section earns its place given the tool's complexity.

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 no output schema provided, the description fully compensates by covering return content, edge cases (translations, insufficient heads), and cross-referencing sibling tools. It leaves no obvious gap for the agent to understand when and how to use the tool and interpret its output.

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

Parameters3/5

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

The schema has 100% coverage (book_id is described), so the baseline is 3. The description does not add any meaning beyond the schema for this single parameter; it mentions 'lang' for other methods but not for book_id itself. No extra semantics are introduced.

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?

The description clearly identifies the tool as the read-only step 1 of the pipeline, specifies the exact resources returned (summary, chapter list, edition metadata, DOI, etc.), and differentiates it from siblings like get_book_text and search_within_book by explicitly naming them and their roles.

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?

The description gives explicit when-to-use guidance ('START HERE'), names alternatives ('Use list_editions', 'Then: get_book_text ... step 2', 'get_quote ... step 3'), and explains when language nuance matters, covering exclusions and next steps.

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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TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Disambiguation4/5

Tools are organized around distinct actions—discover, read, cite, search, contribute—and the descriptions cross-reference each other heavily. The only mild ambiguities are the get_quote/get_quotes pair and the multiple passage-search variants, which overlap in result type but are scoped differently.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tools use snake_case verb_noun names with predictable prefixes: get_* for retrieval, list_* for catalog enumeration, search_* for discovery, and plain verb_noun for contribution actions. Pluralization and compound nouns like get_book_text are minor variations that do not break the pattern.

Tool Count5/5

Fifteen tools is at the upper end of the ideal range, but every tool maps to a distinct step in the library workflow: discovery, reading, citation, search, editions, images, and community contributions. None feels redundant or decorative.

Completeness5/5

The surface covers the full research lifecycle: discovering books, reading them, locating canonical references, citing exact pages, searching by keyword/meaning/within a book, comparing editions, finding images, and contributing findings back. The pipeline from get_book to get_book_text to get_quote provides clear forward paths with no dead ends.

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