mcp-archiveorg

Search the catalogue

search_items

Read-onlyIdempotent

Search the Internet Archive catalogue for books, films, recordings, images, software, and datasets using titles, creators, or descriptions. Narrow results by media type and year range.

Instructions

Search the Internet Archive catalogue: films, books, recordings, images, software and datasets. This matches titles, creators and descriptions, so a compilation whose notes mention a name ranks alongside that person's own work: read 'creator' on each row before treating a result as theirs. It does not read the contents of a scan; use search_inside for a phrase within a book. Set 'media_type' whenever the kind of thing is known, because one title exists across several media and mixing them makes a result list unreadable. 'oldest', 'newest', 'year_from' and 'year_to' all read one field: the date a depositor typed into the record. An item with no date carries a placeholder the index sorts as a real one, a date written as a fragment is filed at the year that fragment reads as, and the field holds no era, so a Babylonian tablet of 1712 BCE answers a search of 1700 to 1750. Read an order or a range as a statement about that field. Every row carries an 'identifier', which get_item takes.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`page`	No
`sort`	No	'downloads' surfaces what people actually read, which relevance alone often buries. 'oldest' and 'newest' rank on a declared date, not on when a thing was made.	relevance
`limit`	No
`query`	Yes	Words to look for in titles, creators and descriptions.
`year_to`	No	Latest year, inclusive, on the record's declared date, which carries no era.
`year_from`	No	Earliest year, inclusive, on the record's declared date, which carries no era.
`media_type`	No	Narrow to one kind of thing. Strongly recommended.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`page`	Yes
`items`	Yes
`notes`	Yes
`query`	Yes
`total`	Yes	Items matching across the catalogue, not the number returned.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed3 schema fields changedv1.5.0Aug 10, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / year_from / description

Previous value: -"Earliest year, inclusive."New value: +"Earliest year, inclusive, on the record's declared date, which carries no era."

changedInput schema / properties / year_to / description

Previous value: -"Latest year, inclusive."New value: +"Latest year, inclusive, on the record's declared date, which carries no era."

changedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / media_type / description

Previous value: -"texts, movies, audio, image, software or data."New value: +"The kind the catalogue files this row under, in the Archive's own words. Most rows carry one of texts, movies, audio, image, software or data, and some carry a kind the filter cannot ask for, such as 'collection' for a page gathering items rather than an item itself."

Changed1 schema field changedv1.4.0Aug 8, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / sort / description

Previous value: -"'downloads' surfaces what people actually read, which relevance alone often buries."New value: +"'downloads' surfaces what people actually read, which relevance alone often buries. 'oldest' and 'newest' rank on a declared date, not on when a thing was made."

Changed1 schema field changedv1.3.0Aug 7, 2026
- addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```
First observedv0.1.0Aug 5, 2026

TDQS

A4.9/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Beyond the readOnly/openWorld/idempotent annotations, the description discloses important quirks: matching covers titles/creators/descriptions, not scan contents; the year fields reflect a depositor-typed date with placeholder/fragment/era issues; and sorting on 'oldest'/'newest' uses declared dates. This is substantive behavioral context that the annotations do not provide.

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?

The description is longer than the ideal but remains front-loaded with the core purpose in the first sentence. Every sentence earns its place, covering matching semantics, date quirks, and alternatives. It is verbose in places (e.g., the date fragment sentence) but stays focused and logically organized.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the presence of an output schema and strong annotations, the description only needed to explain behavior, and it does so thoroughly. It covers matching, date-side-effects, media type guidance, sort semantics, and how to proceed to get_item. No critical context is missing.

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

Parameters5/5

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

Schema coverage is 71%, but the description adds meaning beyond the schema: it explains that year_from/year_to operate on the declared date with no era (so 1712 BCE matches 1700–1750), clarifies sort behavior, and explains the rationale for media_type. Although page and limit are not elaborated, they are self-evident. This compensates well for any gaps.

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?

The description opens with a specific verb+resource: 'Search the Internet Archive catalogue: films, books, recordings, images, software and datasets.' It clearly states the scope and distinguishes from siblings by naming search_inside and get_item. This fully clarifies what the tool does.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly directs when to use alternatives: 'use search_inside for a phrase within a book' and mentions that get_item takes the identifier. It also strongly recommends setting media_type. This provides clear when-to-use and when-not-to-use guidance.

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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