NotebookLM MCP Server

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/tools/handlers.ts:651-673 (handler)

  Main handler function that executes the select_notebook tool logic. It validates the notebook ID, calls the library's selectNotebook method, and returns success/error with the selected notebook.

  /**
   * Handle select_notebook tool
   */
  async handleSelectNotebook(args: { id: string }): Promise<ToolResult<{ notebook: any }>> {
    log.info(`🔧 [TOOL] select_notebook called`);
    log.info(`  ID: ${args.id}`);
  
    try {
      const notebook = this.library.selectNotebook(args.id);
      log.success(`✅ [TOOL] select_notebook completed: ${notebook.name}`);
      return {
        success: true,
        data: { notebook },
      };
    } catch (error) {
      const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
      log.error(`❌ [TOOL] select_notebook failed: ${errorMessage}`);
      return {
        success: false,
        error: errorMessage,
      };
    }
  }

• src/tools/definitions/notebook-management.ts:107-135 (schema)

  Tool definition including name, detailed description, strict input schema requiring 'id' parameter, and usage guidelines.

    {
      name: "select_notebook",
      description:
        `Set a notebook as the active default (used when ask_question has no notebook_id).
  
  ## When To Use
  - User switches context: "Let's work on React now"
  - User asks explicitly to activate a notebook
  - Obvious task change requires another notebook
  
  ## Auto-Switching
  - Safe to auto-switch if the context is clear and you announce it:
    "Switching to React notebook for this task..."
  - If ambiguous, ask: "Switch to [notebook] for this task?"
  
  ## Example
  User: "Now let's build the React frontend"
  You: "Switching to React notebook..." (call select_notebook)`,
      inputSchema: {
        type: "object",
        properties: {
          id: {
            type: "string",
            description: "The notebook ID to activate",
          },
        },
        required: ["id"],
      },
    },

• src/tools/definitions.ts:20-33 (registration)

  Central function that aggregates and registers all tool definitions, including notebookManagementTools containing select_notebook, for export to the MCP server.

  export function buildToolDefinitions(library: NotebookLibrary): Tool[] {
    // Update the description for ask_question based on the library state
    const dynamicAskQuestionTool = {
      ...askQuestionTool,
      description: buildAskQuestionDescription(library),
    };
  
    return [
      dynamicAskQuestionTool,
      ...notebookManagementTools,
      ...sessionManagementTools,
      ...systemTools,
    ];
  }

• src/library/notebook-library.ts:204-226 (helper)

  Core helper method implementing the selection logic: retrieves notebook, sets as active in library state, updates last_used timestamp, persists to JSON file, and returns the updated entry.

  selectNotebook(id: string): NotebookEntry {
    const notebook = this.getNotebook(id);
    if (!notebook) {
      throw new Error(`Notebook not found: ${id}`);
    }
  
    log.info(`🎯 Selecting notebook: ${id}`);
  
    const updated = { ...this.library };
    updated.active_notebook_id = id;
  
    // Update last_used
    const notebookIndex = updated.notebooks.findIndex((n) => n.id === id);
    updated.notebooks[notebookIndex] = {
      ...notebook,
      last_used: new Date().toISOString(),
    };
  
    this.saveLibrary(updated);
    log.success(`✅ Active notebook: ${id}`);
  
    return updated.notebooks[notebookIndex];
  }