search

Search the National Library's catalog - books, newspapers, journals, photos, maps, music, manuscripts, radio/TV and more, both physical and digitized. Digitized text (OCR) is matched too by default, so a query can surface newspaper or book pages that mention a term even when it's not in the title.

Signature: search(q: string, required; media_type: string, optional, default None; language: string, optional, default None; county: string, optional, default None; year_from: integer, optional, default None; year_to: integer, optional, default None; digital_only: yes/no, optional, default False; sort: string, optional, default None; page: integer, optional, default 0; size: integer, optional, default 10; limit: integer, items, optional, default 25; offset: integer, items, optional, default 0)

Direct GET

For navigating agents: open the HTML page with parameters in the URL. The result is fetched and displayed without screenshots or form filling.

Open this validated HTML GET URL

https://allemannsdata.com/wiki/kilder/nasjonalbiblioteket/search/?q={q}&media_type={media_type}&language={language}&county={county}&year_from={year_from}&year_to={year_to}&digital_only=false&sort={sort}&page=0&size=10&limit=25&offset=0

Replace {q}, {media_type}, {language}, {county}, {year_from}, {year_to}, {digital_only}, {sort}, {page}, {size} with values. Remove unused optional parameters from the URL.

For software and dashboards: Read the operation descriptor. The JSON GET template is https://allemannsdata.com/wiki/api/v1/kilder/nasjonalbiblioteket/search?q={q}&media_type={media_type}&language={language}&county={county}&year_from={year_from}&year_to={year_to}&digital_only=false&sort={sort}&page=0&size=10&limit=25&offset=0. Open this exact request as JSON.

Parameter	Requirement	JSON type	Description
`q`	required	string	Free-text query. Supports field-restricted terms too, e.g. "subject:fiske year:1970" combined with free text.
`media_type`	optional	union	Restrict to one type, e.g. aviser (newspapers), bøker (books), tidsskrift (journals), bilder (photos), musikk, kart (maps), film, plakater (posters), noter (sheet music), radio, fjernsyn. See get_aggregations(q="*", group_by="mediatype") for the full list with counts.
`language`	optional	union	Language filter - values are inconsistent in the catalog (mixes codes like "nob" and labels like "Norsk bokmål"); check get_aggregations(q=q, group_by="languages") first if unsure.
`county`	optional	union	Norwegian county name, e.g. "Troms", "Oslo".
`year_from`	optional	union	Restrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).
`year_to`	optional	union	Restrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).
`digital_only`	optional	boolean	Only items that have been digitized.
`sort`	optional	union	One of date, title, otherid, firstDigitalContentTime, optionally suffixed ",desc" (default: relevance).
`page`	optional	integer	Zero-based page index.
`size`	optional	integer	Results per page, 1 to 100 (default 10).
`limit`	optional	integer	Gateway page size; default 25, maximum 100.
`offset`	optional	integer	Number of list items to skip; default 0.

Generated JavaScript, Python and response structure

Use JSON when the user requests code, machine-readable data, value extraction or further computation. Use the HTML GET page to identify the correct source and verify parameters.

Example for generated JavaScript and Python

https://allemannsdata.com/wiki/api/v1/kilder/nasjonalbiblioteket/search?q={q}&media_type={media_type}&language={language}&county={county}&year_from={year_from}&year_to={year_to}&digital_only=false&sort={sort}&page=0&size=10&limit=25&offset=0

Replace URL placeholders and remove unused optional parameters.

JavaScript in a dashboard

const url = "https://allemannsdata.com/wiki/api/v1/kilder/nasjonalbiblioteket/search?q={q}&media_type={media_type}&language={language}&county={county}&year_from={year_from}&year_to={year_to}&digital_only=false&sort={sort}&page=0&size=10&limit=25&offset=0";
const response = await fetch(url);
if (!response.ok) {
  const failure = await response.json();
  throw new Error(`${failure.error.code}: ${failure.error.message} ${failure.suggestion}`);
}
const result = await response.json();
const data = result.data;

Python without additional packages

import json
from urllib.request import urlopen

url = "https://allemannsdata.com/wiki/api/v1/kilder/nasjonalbiblioteket/search?q={q}&media_type={media_type}&language={language}&county={county}&year_from={year_from}&year_to={year_to}&digital_only=false&sort={sort}&page=0&size=10&limit=25&offset=0"
with urlopen(url) as response:
    result = json.load(response)
data = result["data"]

Response structure

{
  "source": "nasjonalbiblioteket",
  "operation": "search",
  "parameters": {},
  "data": {},
  "entities": [],
  "_meta": {"retrieved_at": "...", "sources": [], "cache": {}},
  "_links": {"self": "...", "source": "...", "wiki": "...", "feedback": "..."}
}

Form for manual use

The form is a fallback for people and browser agents that cannot open the GET URL directly.

q (required) Type: string. Free-text query. Supports field-restricted terms too, e.g. "subject:fiske year:1970" combined with free text.

media_type Type: string. Restrict to one type, e.g. aviser (newspapers), bøker (books), tidsskrift (journals), bilder (photos), musikk, kart (maps), film, plakater (posters), noter (sheet music), radio, fjernsyn. See get_aggregations(q="*", group_by="mediatype") for the full list with counts.

language Type: string. Language filter - values are inconsistent in the catalog (mixes codes like "nob" and labels like "Norsk bokmål"); check get_aggregations(q=q, group_by="languages") first if unsure.

county Type: string. Norwegian county name, e.g. "Troms", "Oslo".

year_from Type: integer. Restrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).

year_to Type: integer. Restrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).

digital_only Type: yes/no. Only items that have been digitized.

sort Type: string. One of date, title, otherid, firstDigitalContentTime, optionally suffixed ",desc" (default: relevance).

page Type: integer. Zero-based page index.

size Type: integer. Results per page, 1 to 100 (default 10).

Result

Source: National Library of Norway. Retrieved 2026-09-27T09:56:00Z in 0.205 seconds.

total:

318075

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
c30e8ca394a81df38bae8c01af9b63c0
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2018013048272
title:
Jean Tinguely - the future as we remember it
creators:
6 results
1. Jean Tinguely - The future as we remember it (utstilling)
2. Henie Onstad kunstsenter
3. Halling, Tone
4. Tinguely, Jean
5. Arnfinsen, Deborah Ann
6. Cripps, Peter
year:
2009
publisher:
Henie Onstad Art Centre
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
4 results
1. eng
2. nob
3. mul
4. swe
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2018013048272_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/c30e8ca394a81df38bae8c01af9b63c0
id:
d17f8e91d8f98b492668ea0defb585dd
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000020389
title:
We do it with love
creators:
1 results
1. Clayborough, Arthur
year:
2023
publisher:
Jubilee Tower Enterprises
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. eng
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000020389_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/d17f8e91d8f98b492668ea0defb585dd
id:
890c629344abe561b77ece033b45e694
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000034380
title:
We do it with love
creators:
1 results
1. Clayborough, Arthur
year:
2023
publisher:
Jubilee Tower Enterprises
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. eng
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000034380_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/890c629344abe561b77ece033b45e694
id:
0e4cd13a0e447482d38b91fa2019084b
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2013052906051
title:
We can, we will
creators:
2 results
1. Larsen, Fredrik
2. Norsk folkehjelp
year:
2007
publisher:
Norwegian People's Aid
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. eng
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2013052906051_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/0e4cd13a0e447482d38b91fa2019084b
id:
b7d04d86c4f3abce34f1fa2ad0745ca3
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2010032205017
title:
Managing technological risk : can we do without disasters?
creators:
2 results
1. Andersen, Håkon With
2. Collett, John Peter
year:
1992
publisher:
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige forskningsråd
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. eng
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
bokhylla
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NORWAY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2010032205017_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/b7d04d86c4f3abce34f1fa2ad0745ca3
id:
2945f3414800f4b2b4865836fd0ce472
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024031180020_006
title:
Dagens IT. 2007 Vol. 16 Nr. 6
creators:
1 results
1. Dagens IT
year:
2007
publisher:
Dagens IT AS
media_types:
1 results
1. tidsskrift
languages:
1 results
1. nob
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024031180020_006_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/2945f3414800f4b2b4865836fd0ce472
id:
47605b95a80ffa17379c805279d14f74
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024031180020_003
title:
Dagens IT. 2007 Vol. 16 Nr. 3
creators:
1 results
1. Dagens IT
year:
2007
publisher:
Dagens IT AS
media_types:
1 results
1. tidsskrift
languages:
1 results
1. nob
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024031180020_003_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/47605b95a80ffa17379c805279d14f74
id:
2c90a70f69999832e5722a0c44826df9
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2024021948021
title:
Bullying at school : what we know and what we can do
creators:
1 results
1. Olweus, Dan
year:
1993
publisher:
Blackwell Publ.
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. eng
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2024021948021_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/2c90a70f69999832e5722a0c44826df9
id:
6b898ac59e3d891fada2c1795f471a60
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023120780072_003
title:
Dagens IT. 2006 Vol. 15 Nr. 14
creators:
1 results
1. Dagens IT
year:
2006
publisher:
Dagens IT AS
media_types:
1 results
1. tidsskrift
languages:
1 results
1. nob
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023120780072_003_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/6b898ac59e3d891fada2c1795f471a60
id:
d10b9728a08fb6e4d52f1ff73bcf09a8
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024031180020_011
title:
Dagens IT. 2007 Vol. 16 Nr. 11
creators:
1 results
1. Dagens IT
year:
2007
publisher:
Dagens IT AS
media_types:
1 results
1. tidsskrift
languages:
1 results
1. nob
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NB
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024031180020_011_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/d10b9728a08fb6e4d52f1ff73bcf09a8

limit:

offset:

returned:

has_more_results:

yes

truncated:

yes

next_offset:

Will you use the result in generated code?

Open the same result as JSON

Is data missing or incorrect? Send feedback about this result.

Continue exploring

How an AI agent should use this page

Ground rule: Navigate with HTML GET links to keep explanations and relationships. Use the page's JSON alternative only when concrete values must be extracted, compared or computed.

How to use the search lookup

Replace the placeholders in the HTML GET template; remove optional parameters you do not need.
Check types, units, limits and ID formats in the parameter table.
Follow linked results to canonical pages before combining sources.

Misreading to avoid: An empty list means "no results for this lookup". An error message or unavailable source does not mean the data does not exist.

Source-specific next step

Go to the source page for other operations. Use the JSON template only after the HTML result shows that the parameters and source are correct.

AI agent? Read the complete navigation and programming guide.