How do I install the openlibrary mcp server?

Use a recorded configuration for your client, replace example credential values and paths, and verify the documented runtime. Restart or reconnect the client, then inspect the available tools.

What credentials does it need?

It reads `MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE`, `MCP_LOG_LEVEL`, `MCP_HTTP_ENDPOINT_PATH`, `MCP_PUBLIC_URL` from the environment. Store these in your client's env block or a secrets manager — never commit them to a repository — and grant the narrowest scope that still covers your use case.

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Openlibrary MCP Server

Search books and authors, fetch editions, browse subjects, and resolve cover images.

Remote serverstreamable-http

What is the Openlibrary MCP Server?

Search books and authors, fetch editions, browse subjects, and resolve cover images.

What you get

Configuration and credentials

Bun v1.3.0 or higher (or Node.js ≥ 24.0.0). - No API key required — Open Library is a free, public API.

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.

Tool	What it does
openlibrary_search_books	Full-text book search with field filters (title, author, subject, publisher, ISBN, language), sort options, pagination, and optional live reading availability
openlibrary_get_work	Fetch a work by Open Library Work ID (OL…W) — title, description, subjects, cover IDs, and author IDs
openlibrary_get_editions	List editions of a work — publishers, languages, formats, ISBNs, and print run details
openlibrary_get_edition	Resolve up to 50 editions in one call by ISBN-10, ISBN-13, OCLC, LCCN, or Open Library Edition ID (OL…M), reporting per-identifier misses
openlibrary_search_authors	Search authors by name — returns Author IDs, birth/death dates, top works, and subject associations
openlibrary_get_author	Fetch author detail by Open Library Author ID (OL…A) — bio, dates, photo IDs, and linked identifiers from Wikidata, VIAF, ISNI, Goodreads, and LibraryThing
openlibrary_get_author_works	List works by an author — titles, cover IDs, and Work OLIDs for drilling into editions or details
openlibrary_get_subject	Browse works by subject tag — returns matching works with edition counts and cover IDs plus the total work count
openlibrary_search_inside	Full-text search inside the scanned text of Internet Archive books — returns matching items with snippets
openlibrary_get_cover_url	Resolve a cover image URL for a book or author photo in S/M/L size — returns a direct HTTPS URL embeddable in markdown

How to install the Openlibrary MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openlibrary-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "bunx",
      "args": ["@cyanheads/openlibrary-mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

Bun v1.3.0 or higher (or Node.js ≥ 24.0.0). - No API key required — Open Library is a free, public API.

Variable	Description	Required
MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE	Configuration value read at startup.	Optional
MCP_LOG_LEVEL	Configuration value read at startup.	Optional
MCP_HTTP_ENDPOINT_PATH	Filesystem location the server is allowed to use.	Optional
MCP_PUBLIC_URL	Endpoint or connection string the server talks to.	Yes

Example prompts to try

“Use Openlibrary to openlibrary search books.”
“Use Openlibrary to openlibrary get work.”
“Use Openlibrary to openlibrary get editions.”

Frequently asked questions

Search books and authors, fetch editions, browse subjects, and resolve cover images. Confirm the tools offered by your installed version in the connected client. Tool availability and permissions depend on the server and account configuration.