Books

Search Books

search_books

Read-onlyIdempotent

Search for books by title, author, or keyword. Returns title, author, year, ISBN, and cover image URL. Use this to discover books before fetching full details.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`limit`	No	Number of results to return (1-20, default 5)
`query`	Yes	Search query (title, author, or keywords)

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`books`	Yes	Array of matching books
`total_found`	Yes	Total number of matching books found

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedMay 24, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "query": "1984 George Orwell"
+  },
+  {
+    "limit": 10,
+    "query": "science fiction"
+  }
+]

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "books": {
+      "description": "Array of matching books",
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "authors": {
+            "description": "List of author names",
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "cover_url": {
+            "description": "Cover image URL",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "first_published": {
+            "description": "Year of first publication",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "isbn": {
+            "description": "First ISBN if available",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "open_library_key": {
+            "description": "Open Library key identifier",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "description": "Book title",
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "title",
+          "authors",
+          "first_published",
+          "isbn",
+          "cover_url",
+          "open_library_key"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "total_found": {
+      "description": "Total number of matching books found",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "total_found",
+    "books"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed2 schema fields changedMay 12, 2026

removedInput schema / examples

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "query": "Jane Austen"
-  },
-  {
-    "query": "Pride and Prejudice"
-  }
-]

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -{
-  "properties": {
-    "books": {
-      "description": "List of books matching the search query",
-      "items": {
-        "properties": {
-          "authors": {
-            "description": "List of book authors",
-            "items": {
-              "properties": {
-                "birth_year": {
-                  "description": "Author birth year or null",
-                  "type": [
-                    "number",
-                    "null"
-                  ]
-                },
-                "death_year": {
-                  "description": "Author death year or null",
-                  "type": [
-                    "number",
-                    "null"
-                  ]
-                },
-                "name": {
-                  "description": "Author name",
-                  "type": "string"
-                }
-              },
-              "required": [
-                "name",
-                "birth_year",
-                "death_year"
-              ],
-              "type": "object"
-            },
-            "type": "array"
-          },
-          "download_count": {
-            "description": "Number of downloads",
-            "type": "number"
-          },
-          "formats": {
-            "additionalProperties": {
-              "type": "string"
-            },
-            "description": "Available download formats and URLs",
-            "type": "object"
-          },
-          "id": {
-            "description": "Project Gutenberg book ID",
-            "type": "number"
-          },
-          "languages": {
-            "description": "Languages the book is available in",
-            "items": {
-              "type": "string"
-            },
-            "type": "array"
-          },
-          "subjects": {
-            "description": "Subject tags for the book",
-            "items": {
-              "type": "string"
-            },
-            "type": "array"
-          },
-          "title": {
-            "description": "Book title",
-            "type": "string"
-          }
-        },
-        "required": [
-          "id",
-          "title",
-          "authors",
-          "languages",
-          "subjects",
-          "download_count",
-          "formats"
-        ],
-        "type": "object"
-      },
-      "type": "array"
-    },
-    "count": {
-      "description": "Total number of books matching the search query",
-      "type": "number"
-    }
-  },
-  "required": [
-    "count",
-    "books"
-  ],
-  "type": "object"
-}New value: +null

Changed1 schema field changedMay 8, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "books": {
+      "description": "List of books matching the search query",
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "authors": {
+            "description": "List of book authors",
+            "items": {
+              "properties": {
+                "birth_year": {
+                  "description": "Author birth year or null",
+                  "type": [
+                    "number",
+                    "null"
+                  ]
+                },
+                "death_year": {
+                  "description": "Author death year or null",
+                  "type": [
+                    "number",
+                    "null"
+                  ]
+                },
+                "name": {
+                  "description": "Author name",
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "name",
+                "birth_year",
+                "death_year"
+              ],
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "download_count": {
+            "description": "Number of downloads",
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "formats": {
+            "additionalProperties": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "description": "Available download formats and URLs",
+            "type": "object"
+          },
+          "id": {
+            "description": "Project Gutenberg book ID",
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "languages": {
+            "description": "Languages the book is available in",
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "subjects": {
+            "description": "Subject tags for the book",
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "description": "Book title",
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "id",
+          "title",
+          "authors",
+          "languages",
+          "subjects",
+          "download_count",
+          "formats"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "count": {
+      "description": "Total number of books matching the search query",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "count",
+    "books"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "query": "Jane Austen"
+  },
+  {
+    "query": "Pride and Prejudice"
+  }
+]

First observedApr 14, 2026

TDQS

A4.2/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, openWorldHint=true, idempotentHint=true, and destructiveHint=false, so safety is covered. The description adds value by specifying the returned fields (title, author, year, ISBN, cover image URL) and the discovery-oriented behavior. No contradiction with annotations.

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 concise sentences, front-loaded with the action. Every sentence earns its place: what it does, what it returns, and when to use it. No redundancy or fluff.

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 search tool with two parameters and rich annotations, the description covers purpose, return fields, and usage context. It could be slightly more explicit about alternative tools, but the guidance is sufficient given the sibling list and output schema. A minor gap: it doesn't mention pagination or sorting, but those are likely covered by the output schema or are edge cases.

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%, so both query and limit are well-described in the schema. The description does not add new parameter semantics beyond what the schema already states (e.g., search by title, author, or keywords repeats the query description). Baseline 3 is appropriate.

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 states the tool's function: 'Search for books by title, author, or keyword.' It specifies the verb (search), resource (books), and scope (title, author, keyword). It also distinguishes from siblings like get_book and get_author by framing this as discovery before fetching full details.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The phrase 'Use this to discover books before fetching full details' gives explicit usage context, implying you should start here and then use a detail-fetching tool. It doesn't explicitly name alternatives (e.g., get_book) or state exclusions, but the guidance is clear enough for selection.

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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Search Books

Input Schema

Output Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

Glama MCP Gateway

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