openlibrary-mcp-server

Get Author Works

openlibrary_get_author_works

Read-only

List works by an author. Returns titles, cover IDs, and work OLIDs for drilling into editions or details. Use openlibrary_get_author for author bio and details, or openlibrary_get_editions to explore specific printings.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`limit`	No	Max works to return; values above 100 apply 100 when limit clamping is enabled.
`offset`	No	Zero-based offset for pagination.
`author_id`	Yes	Open Library Author ID (OL…A). A leading "/authors/" prefix is stripped if provided.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`total`	No	Total works by this author.
`works`	No	Works by this author, up to limit.
`notice`	No	Guidance for a merged author ID or a requested limit above the page ceiling.
`offset`	No	Zero-based offset of the first returned result — echoes the requested offset, so an empty page still records the offset that produced it.
`author_id`	No	Open Library Author ID.
`totalCount`	No	Total works by this author across all pages.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed3 schema fields changedOct 26, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / limit / description

Previous value: -"Max works to return."New value: +"Max works to return; values above 100 apply 100 when limit clamping is enabled."

changedInput schema / properties / limit / maximum

Previous value: -100New value: +9007199254740991

changedOutput schema / properties / notice / description

Previous value: -"Set when the requested author ID was merged into a different canonical ID."New value: +"Guidance for a merged author ID or a requested limit above the page ceiling."

Changed3 schema fields changedSep 24, 2026

changedOutput schema / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "not": {
-      "required": [
-        "error"
-      ]
-    },
-    "required": [
-      "total",
-      "author_id",
-      "works"
-    ]
-  },
-  {
-    "required": [
-      "error"
-    ]
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "total",
+      "offset",
+      "author_id",
+      "works"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description

Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `not_found`: Author ID does not exist on Open Library. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `not_found`: Author ID does not exist on Open Library, names a record that is not an author (a work or edition OLID), or redirects to no reachable author. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."

addedOutput schema / properties / offset

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Zero-based offset of the first returned result — echoes the requested offset, so an empty page still records the offset that produced it.",
+  "type": "number"
+}

Changed6 schema fields changedAug 25, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedOutput schema / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "total",
+      "author_id",
+      "works"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / error

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `not_found`: Author ID does not exist on Open Library. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "not_found"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

removedOutput schema / required

Removed value: -[
-  "total",
-  "author_id",
-  "works"
-]

Changed1 schema field changedJul 26, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / notice

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Set when the requested author ID was merged into a different canonical ID.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedJun 13, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / totalCount

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Total works by this author across all pages.",
+  "type": "number"
+}

First observedMay 25, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds that OLIDs can be used for drilling into editions or details, which is useful context, but says nothing about pagination, limit clamping, or result ordering. With annotations doing the heavy lifting, a 3 is appropriate.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Three short sentences, front-loaded with purpose and return contents, followed by the routing guidance. No filler and no repetition of schema detail.

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?

For a simple read-only list endpoint with annotations, a fully described three-parameter schema, and an output schema, the description covers purpose, return shape, and alternatives. Nothing an agent needs to invoke it correctly is missing.

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?

Schema description coverage is 100%, including the OL…A ID format, prefix stripping, default limit of 20 and offset semantics, so the schema already carries the parameter burden. The description adds only an indirect hint that work OLIDs feed into edition lookups and does not elaborate on limit or offset. Baseline 3 applies.

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 opens with a specific verb and resource ('List works by an author') and immediately states the returned identifiers (titles, cover IDs, work OLIDs). It also names the sibling tools it is not, so an agent can distinguish it from openlibrary_get_author and openlibrary_get_editions without inspecting either 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?

It explicitly routes the agent to alternatives with conditions: openlibrary_get_author for bio/details, openlibrary_get_editions for specific printings. The implied 'use this when you want the author's work list' is made concrete by contrast with those siblings.

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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