Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@Citations MCP Cite 10.1038/nature14539 in APA 7 with an in-text citation."
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Paste a DOI or an ISBN and get a formatted citation back in APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago author-date. You can also type the details yourself, and get the matching in-text citation. Formatting is done by tested code, so the punctuation is the same every time.
This is a free, open source MCP server. It works with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code Copilot and any other app that supports MCP. Lookups go to the free public Crossref and Open Library services and nothing else. There is no account or key, and nothing is stored.
Free forever. No account and no subscription.
Add this to your AI app's MCP config. For Claude Desktop that is claude_desktop_config.json.
{
"mcpServers": {
"citations": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "student-citations-mcp"]
}
}
}Restart your AI app, then try one of the questions below. You need Node.js 20 or newer.
For Claude Code, run claude mcp add citations -- npx -y student-citations-mcp.
Related MCP server: Scholar Sidekick
"Cite 10.1038/nature14539 in APA."
"Make an MLA citation for ISBN 9780262033848."
"Format this as Chicago: Smith and Jones, 2020, Learning to Learn, Journal of Study Skills, volume 4, issue 2, pages 11 to 25."
"What's the in-text citation for a quote on page 14 of that paper?"
Tool | What it does |
| Format a journal article, book or website from details you provide, in APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago author-date |
| Look up a DOI on Crossref and format the citation |
| Look up an ISBN on Open Library and format the citation |
| The in-text citation that matches a source, with an optional page number |
Always check the result against your course's style guide or your instructor's rules. Styles have many special cases this tool does not cover, such as editors, translators and edition rules.
Titles are used as the source gives them. APA wants sentence case for article titles, so fix capitals if your style needs it.
Optional environment variables, CROSSREF_EMAIL puts your address in lookups so Crossref can reach you about heavy use, and CROSSREF_BASE_URL and OPENLIBRARY_BASE_URL point to other servers for testing.
npm install
npm run build
npm testTests run against fake Crossref and Open Library servers, so they need no network.
All free, open source and read only where they touch your accounts. Browse the full list at brightspacemcp.com/more-mcps.
Server | What it does |
D2L Brightspace for AI. Due dates with real submission status, grades, a target grade calculator and course files. | |
Read-only Canvas LMS for AI. Due dates, missing work, grades and announcements. | |
Read-only Moodle for AI. Due dates, overdue work, grades and announcements. | |
Read-only Google Classroom for AI. To-do, due dates, missing work and grades. | |
GPA, grade conversion and what-do-I-need-on-the-final math for AI. Works offline, no account. | |
Exam study schedules, spaced repetition dates, pomodoro plans and assignment milestones. Works offline. | |
Search scholarly papers, find open access copies and related work through OpenAlex. No key needed. |
MIT
Catch AI-fabricated citations (real DOI + fake title). Retraction, open-access, 10,000+ CSL styles.
Search papers, format citations in 60 styles, and verify bibliographies against scholarly sources.
Search DataCite datasets and software, fetch DOI metadata, trace relations, format citations.
Federated search of books and papers, BibTeX/RIS citations, open-access retrieval and reading.
