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.

Technologies Used

TypeScript
Node.js
Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Open Library API

Installation

npm install

Build

npm run build

Run

npm start

The server uses stdio transport. Point your MCP client at dist/index.js.

Available MCP Tools

Search

Tool	Parameters	Description
`search_books`	`query`	Search books by title, author, or keyword
`search_authors`	`query`, optional `limit` (default 10, max 25)	Search authors by name
`read_book_snippet`	`query`, optional `limit` (default 3, max 10)	Search inside books for text snippets

Books & works

Tool	Parameters	Description
`get_work_details`	`workId`	Full work record by Open Library work ID
`get_book_details_by_isbn`	`isbn`	Book details by ISBN-10 or ISBN-13
`get_editions`	`workId`	List editions for a work
`get_book_ratings`	`workId`	Aggregate reader ratings for a work
`get_book_summary`	`workId`	Concise metadata summary (title, description, subjects, etc.)
`compare_books`	`workId1`, `workId2`	Side-by-side comparison of two works

Authors

Tool	Parameters	Description
`get_author_profile`	`authorId`	Author biography and profile by ID
`get_author_works`	`authorId`, optional `limit` (default 20, max 100), optional `offset`	Author bibliography

Subjects

Tool	Parameters	Description
`get_subject_insights`	`subject`, optional `limit` (default 20, max 100), optional `offset`	Books and trends for a subject/topic

Open Library MCP Server

Open Library MCP Server

Overview

Technologies Used

Installation

Build

Run

Available MCP Tools

Search

Books & works

Authors

Subjects

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