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german-archives-mcp

german-archives-mcp

by ianderso
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Local

labw_image

Idempotent

Download a page image from a Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg item to read it before citing, saving a JPG to a specified path and returning citation information.

Instructions

Download one page image of a Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg item, so it can be read.

This is the step that makes a book evidence: read the page before citing it. page is the archive's image number (Bild), not the number written on the page. Saves a new .jpg or .jpeg file, never returned inline: not hidden, not under ~/Library, and inside the operator's download folder when one is set. Cite by the citation returned.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "item": "<item>",
      "destination": "<destination>"
    },
    "name": "labw_image"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
itemYesA register's signature, e.g. 'L 10 Nr. 510', 'F 901 Bd 1511', 'J 386 Bü 583', or any Landesarchiv permalink, e.g. 'https://www.landesarchiv-bw.de/plink/?f=5-475861'.
pageNoWhich image, as the archive numbers them ('Bild 12' is 12), 1-based. May be omitted when the permalink names an image.
max_pixelsNoLongest side in pixels; 0 for the archive's full size (about 2000).
destinationYesAbsolute path of a new .jpg file, e.g. '/path/to/images/L10-510-bild-12.jpg'. The directory must exist and the file must not: nothing is overwritten.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.1.0

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Goes well past the annotations by disclosing that output is a file rather than an inline return, that the file is a new .jpg never overwritten, that it is not placed in hidden locations or under ~/Library, and that the operator's download folder is honored when set. It also tells the agent to cite via the returned `citation`, information carried nowhere else.

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?

Front-loads the purpose and then the operational facts, with every clause carrying information. The aphoristic phrasing ('the step that makes a book evidence') is slightly ornamental but short enough not to impede parsing.

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?

With no output schema, the description usefully covers the return surface (a written .jpg path plus a `citation` string) and the write side effects. Minor gaps remain, such as what happens when `page` is omitted and the permalink does not name an image, or what failures look like.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds real meaning by stressing that `page` is the archive's Bild number rather than the number printed on the page — a distinction easy to get wrong. Destination and size semantics are left to the schema, which already handles them.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ('Download one page image of a Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg item') and scopes it to a single page, which cleanly separates it from the sibling image tools for other archives and from the search/item tools. An agent knows exactly what it gets without opening the schema.

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?

Gives clear context for invocation ('read the page before citing it') and ties the call to a citing workflow. It stops short of naming when not to use it or which sibling handles registers/documents (e.g. labw_standesbuch) instead of images.

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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