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get_institutional_link

Read-onlyIdempotent

Generate an OpenURL linking to an article's full text via your library's link resolver. Requires prior configuration of institutional access.

Instructions

Generate institutional access link (OpenURL) for an article.

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 🔗 GET LIBRARY ACCESS LINK ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Generate an OpenURL that will take you through your library's link resolver to access the full text of an article.

PREREQUISITES: ───────────────── Must first call configure_institutional_access() to set up your resolver.

USAGE: ─────────────────

With PMID (easiest): get_institutional_link( source={"kind": "pmid", "value": "38353755"} )

With DOI: get_institutional_link( source={"kind": "doi", "value": "10.1001/jama.2024.1234"} )

With full metadata (most reliable): get_institutional_link( source={ "kind": "metadata", "title": "Some Article Title", "journal": "JAMA", "year": 2024, "volume": "331", "issue": "1", "pages": "45-52" } )

Args: source: Exactly one explicit PMID, DOI, or bounded metadata object.

Returns: OpenURL link or error message

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`source`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed13 schema fields changedv0.7.2Sep 13, 2026

addedInput schema / $defs

Added value: +{
+  "DOISource": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "description": "An explicit DOI.",
+    "properties": {
+      "kind": {
+        "const": "doi",
+        "title": "Kind",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "value": {
+        "maxLength": 512,
+        "minLength": 7,
+        "pattern": "^10\\.[0-9]{4,9}/",
+        "title": "Value",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "kind",
+      "value"
+    ],
+    "title": "DOISource",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "InstitutionalMetadataSource": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "description": "Bounded journal metadata used to construct an OpenURL.",
+    "properties": {
+      "issue": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 50,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Issue"
+      },
+      "journal": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 300,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Journal"
+      },
+      "kind": {
+        "const": "metadata",
+        "title": "Kind",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "pages": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 100,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Pages"
+      },
+      "title": {
+        "maxLength": 1000,
+        "minLength": 1,
+        "title": "Title",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "volume": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maxLength": 50,
+            "minLength": 1,
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Volume"
+      },
+      "year": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "maximum": 9999,
+            "minimum": 1000,
+            "type": "integer"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "title": "Year"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "kind",
+      "title"
+    ],
+    "title": "InstitutionalMetadataSource",
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "PMIDSource": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "description": "An explicit PubMed identifier.",
+    "properties": {
+      "kind": {
+        "const": "pmid",
+        "title": "Kind",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "value": {
+        "maxLength": 20,
+        "pattern": "^[1-9][0-9]{0,19}$",
+        "title": "Value",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "kind",
+      "value"
+    ],
+    "title": "PMIDSource",
+    "type": "object"
+  }
+}

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

removedInput schema / properties / doi

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Doi"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / issue

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Issue"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / journal

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Journal"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / pages

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Pages"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / pmid

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Pmid"
-}

addedInput schema / properties / source

Added value: +{
+  "discriminator": {
+    "mapping": {
+      "doi": "#/$defs/DOISource",
+      "metadata": "#/$defs/InstitutionalMetadataSource",
+      "pmid": "#/$defs/PMIDSource"
+    },
+    "propertyName": "kind"
+  },
+  "oneOf": [
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/PMIDSource"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/DOISource"
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "#/$defs/InstitutionalMetadataSource"
+    }
+  ],
+  "title": "Source"
+}

removedInput schema / properties / title

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Title"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / volume

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Volume"
-}

removedInput schema / properties / year

Removed value: -{
-  "anyOf": [
-    {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    {
-      "type": "null"
-    }
-  ],
-  "default": null,
-  "title": "Year"
-}

addedInput schema / required
```
Added value: +[
+  "source"
+]
```

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -{
-  "properties": {
-    "result": {
-      "title": "Result",
-      "type": "string"
-    }
-  },
-  "required": [
-    "result"
-  ],
-  "title": "get_institutional_linkOutput",
-  "type": "object"
-}New value: +null

First observedv0.5.16Jun 19, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, openWorld. The description adds valuable context beyond them: the hard dependency on prior resolver configuration and the fact that the call may return an error message rather than a link, which prepares the agent for a failure mode not captured in annotations.

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-loaded with purpose, then prerequisites, then examples. The heavy ASCII separators add noise, but every substantive section (prerequisite, per-kind examples, args, returns) earns its place.

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?

With a single parameter, no output schema, and a rich annotation set, the description covers purpose, dependency, all three input shapes, and the return (link or error). Nothing an agent needs to call it correctly is missing.

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?

Top-level schema description coverage is 0%, but the description compensates with full worked examples of each discriminated-union variant (pmid, doi, metadata), showing the 'kind' discriminator and field shapes. It also adds guidance ('easiest', 'most reliable') that the schema does not convey.

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+resource ('Generate institutional access link (OpenURL) for an article') and clarifies the mechanism (library link resolver to full text). An agent can distinguish it from siblings like get_fulltext or test_institutional_access 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?

Explicitly states the prerequisite ('Must first call configure_institutional_access()') and gives concrete usage patterns ranked by reliability ('easiest', 'most reliable'). It does not directly compare against alternatives such as get_fulltext for accessing full text, so it stops short of an explicit when-not-to-use rule.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Deploy Server

get_institutional_link

Instructions

Input Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

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