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licenseA
qualityB
maintenanceConnects AI assistants to the Hardcover book library, enabling natural language book searches, reading status updates, list management, and library exploration.
28
143 PyPI
10
MIT
Open Library MCP Server
by jay1234624
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., "@Open Library MCP Server search for books about artificial intelligence"
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.
Open Library MCP Server
Overview
This project is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server built with TypeScript. It connects AI assistants to the Open Library API for searching books and authors, retrieving metadata, comparing works, and finding text snippets inside books.
Related MCP server: OpenLibrary MCP
Technologies Used
TypeScript
Node.js
Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Open Library API
Installation
npm installBuild
npm run buildRun
npm startThe server uses stdio transport. Point your MCP client at dist/index.js.
Available MCP Tools
Search
Tool | Parameters | Description |
|
| Search books by title, author, or keyword |
|
| Search authors by name |
|
| Search inside books for text snippets |
Books & works
Tool | Parameters | Description |
|
| Full work record by Open Library work ID |
|
| Book details by ISBN-10 or ISBN-13 |
|
| List editions for a work |
|
| Aggregate reader ratings for a work |
|
| Concise metadata summary (title, description, subjects, etc.) |
|
| Side-by-side comparison of two works |
Authors
Tool | Parameters | Description |
|
| Author biography and profile by ID |
|
| Author bibliography |
Subjects
Tool | Parameters | Description |
|
| Books and trends for a subject/topic |
Available Tools
12 toolscompare_booksB
Compare two books side by side using their Open Library work IDs
Inputs: workId1 (required), workId2 (required).
get_author_profileB
Get an author profile by Open Library author ID
Inputs: authorId (required).
get_author_worksA
Get the bibliography (list of works) for an author by Open Library author ID
Inputs: authorId (required), limit, offset.
get_book_details_by_isbnC
Retrieve detailed information for a book using its ISBN
Inputs: isbn (required).
get_book_ratingsB
Get aggregate reader ratings for a book work (average score and star counts)
Inputs: workId (required).
get_book_summaryA
Get a concise summary of a book's metadata from its Open Library work ID
Inputs: workId (required).
get_editionsB
Get editions of a book work by its Open Library work ID
Inputs: workId (required).
get_subject_insightsB
Get books and trends for a subject/topic on Open Library (e.g. science_fiction)
Inputs: subject (required), limit, offset.
get_work_detailsB
Get details for a book work by its Open Library work ID
Inputs: workId (required).
read_book_snippetB
Search inside books and return text snippets when available
Inputs: query (required), limit.
search_authorsC
Search for authors by name on Open Library
Inputs: query (required), limit.
search_booksA
Search Open Library for books by title, author, or keyword
Inputs: query (required).
Tool Schema Changelog
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Loading tool schema changelog…
TDQS
A3.6/5.0
Scored across 12 tools
Disambiguation5/5
Each tool targets a distinct resource or operation: search, author, book, editions, ratings, comparisons, subject insights, and snippets. The inputs vary (ISBN, work ID, author ID) and descriptions clarify boundaries, so an agent should rarely confuse them.
Naming Consistency4/5
Most tools follow a 'get_' prefix followed by the resource, but there are three exceptions: 'search_books', 'search_authors' (using 'search_'), 'compare_books' (using 'compare_'), and 'read_book_snippet' (using 'read_'). This minor inconsistency prevents a perfect score.
Tool Count5/5
With 12 tools, the set covers searching, retrieval of detailed metadata, ratings, editions, comparisons, and reading snippets. This is well-scoped for a book database API without being excessive.
Completeness5/5
The tools provide comprehensive read-only access to Open Library: authors, works, editions, ratings, subjects, and text snippets. There are no obvious dead ends; all major query needs are addressed, especially given the server's read-only nature.
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Related MCP Servers
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- AlicenseAqualityCmaintenanceConnects AI agents to the OpenAlex scholarly database, enabling search and retrieval of works, authors, institutions, and sources via natural language.9MIT