ENL Reader MCP Server

This project provides an automated service for reading EndNote `.enl` libraries and exposing their contents via the MCP (Modular Command Protocol)

Local serverstdioPython

What is the ENL Reader MCP Server?

This project provides an automated service for reading EndNote .enl libraries and exposing their contents via the MCP (Modular Command Protocol) interface. It enables structured, programmatic access to bibliographic data and PDF full texts for downstream LLMs or automation clients.

Key capabilities

  • Automatic EndNote Library Parsing — Reads .enl (SQLite) files and associated .Data folders
  • MCP Tool Interface — Exposes all functions as MCP tools for easy integration with LLMs or workflow engines
  • List All References — Enumerate all bibliographic entries with metadata
  • Fuzzy Search — Search references by (partial) title or keywords, supporting both English and Chinese
  • PDF Full Text Extraction — Retrieve and extract the full text of attached PDF files by paper title
  • Backup Mode & Manual Refresh — Optionally operate on a .enl.backup file for safer access, with both automatic and manual refresh support

Requirements

  • Python 3.10+ - EndNote .enl file and corresponding .Data folder - MCP/fastmcp runtime environment

Practical notes

  • Maintained by DOGGY-SAINT, written in Python.

More MCP options

Compare MCP servers by category, or browse hosted MCP servers if you prefer an endpoint over a local process.

Maintainer setup documentation.

Recorded tools

Check the linked publisher documentation and your connected client's tool list. Names and availability can vary with the server version and account permissions.

ToolWhat it does
list_papersoffset=0, limit=10): List all references with pagination.
search_papersquery): Fuzzy search references by title or keywords.
read_papertitle): Get metadata and PDF full text by (fuzzy) title.
refresh_backup): Manually refresh the .enl.backup file (only available when backup mode is enabled; has no effect if backup mode is off).

How to install the ENL Reader MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "enl_reader_mcp": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--directory",
        "<path-to-your-clone>",
        "-m",
        "server",
        "-e",
        "E:/EndNoteLib/your_library.enl",
        "-d",
        "E:/EndNoteLib/your_library.Data",
        "-l",
        "-b"
      ]
    }
  }
}

From the project documentation. Replace placeholders and example paths before connecting.

Configuration

  • Python 3.10+ - EndNote .enl file and corresponding .Data folder - MCP/fastmcp runtime environment

Frequently asked questions

This project provides an automated service for reading EndNote `.enl` libraries and exposing their contents via the MCP (Modular Command Protocol) interface. It Confirm the tools offered by your installed version in the connected client. Tool availability and permissions depend on the server and account configuration.