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Northwestern University Libraries Digital Collections API

by io.github.nulib

List Collections

list-collections
Read-onlyIdempotent

List collection records from the NUL Digital Collections.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
pageNoThe page of search results to return
max_resultsNoThe maximum number of search results to return per page
public_onlyNoOnly include publicly available works in search results

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
dataYesThe search results returned from the Digital Collections API
infoYes
explainNoThe explain output from Elasticsearch for the search query. Only included if the MCP is running in debug mode.
paginationYes
aggregationsNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • changedOutput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  2. Changed4 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / description / anyOf
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "description": "A brief description of the search result item",
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]
    • removedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / description / description
      Removed value: -"A brief description of the search result item"
    • removedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / description / type
      Removed value: -"string"
    • changedOutput schema / properties / data / items / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "id",
-  "title",
-  "description",
-  "thumbnail",
-  "iiif_collection",
-  "visibility"
-]New value: +[
+  "id",
+  "title",
+  "thumbnail",
+  "iiif_collection",
+  "visibility"
+]
  3. First observed

TDQS

B3.4/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false, so the read-only safety profile is fully covered. The description adds modest context by framing the operation as listing records (plural), implying paginated enumeration consistent with the page/max_results parameters, but it does not disclose details like result ordering or pagination limits beyond what the schema's own parameter descriptions state.

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?

A single seven-word sentence with zero filler; the verb and object are front-loaded immediately. Given that the schema and annotations carry the remaining detail, nothing in the description is wasted.

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

Completeness4/5

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

For a simple read-only listing tool with three optional parameters, an output schema, and full annotation coverage, the description is nearly complete. The only notable omission is usage routing context versus sibling tools, which is already penalized under usage_guidelines.

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% — all three parameters (page, max_results, public_only) have descriptions in the input schema, so the baseline of 3 applies. The description itself adds no parameter-level meaning, but this is acceptable because the schema carries the full documentation burden.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The description uses a specific verb ('List') and resource ('collection records from the NUL Digital Collections'), clearly conveying this is a browse/enumeration operation. However, it does not explicitly differentiate itself from sibling tools like view-collection or search, leaving the agent to infer the distinction between listing all collections and viewing one.

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

Usage Guidelines2/5

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

No guidance is given for when to use this tool versus alternatives such as view-collection, search, or similarity-search. The single-sentence description provides no context about use cases, exclusions, or prerequisites, so an agent must rely on sibling names alone to route correctly.

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

All Northwestern University Libraries Digital Collections API toolsInspect
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TDQS

B3.4/5.0
Disambiguation4/5

Most tools have clear boundaries: search and similarity-search are distinct query modes, and view-* tools are explicitly for interactive viewing while get-work and list-collections return metadata. However, get-work vs view-work and list-collections vs view-collection could cause mild confusion, and view-search-results refers to a 'search-works' tool that is actually named 'search'.

Naming Consistency3/5

Tool names mostly follow a lowercase hyphenated verb-object pattern like get-work, list-collections, and view-work. However, 'search' lacks an object, 'similarity-search' is formatted as a compound noun rather than a verb phrase, and the description for view-search-results references a non-existent 'search-works' tool name.

Tool Count5/5

Eight tools is a well-scoped set for a digital collections API. Each tool serves a distinct function covering search, retrieval, similarity, and interactive viewing without feeling bloated or sparse.

Completeness4/5

The tool surface covers the core read-only workflows: searching, similarity matching, retrieving work metadata, listing collections, and viewing results interactively. A minor gap is the lack of a direct get-collection metadata tool separate from list-collections, but agents can likely work around this.

Resources