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.

ParameterRequirementJSON typeDescription
qrequiredstringFree-text query. Supports field-restricted terms too, e.g. "subject:fiske year:1970" combined with free text.
media_typeoptionalunionRestrict 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.
languageoptionalunionLanguage 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.
countyoptionalunionNorwegian county name, e.g. "Troms", "Oslo".
year_fromoptionalunionRestrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).
year_tooptionalunionRestrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).
digital_onlyoptionalbooleanOnly items that have been digitized.
sortoptionalunionOne of date, title, otherid, firstDigitalContentTime, optionally suffixed ",desc" (default: relevance).
pageoptionalintegerZero-based page index.
sizeoptionalintegerResults per page, 1 to 100 (default 10).
limitoptionalintegerGateway page size; default 25, maximum 100.
offsetoptionalintegerNumber 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.

Type: string. Free-text query. Supports field-restricted terms too, e.g. "subject:fiske year:1970" combined with free text.
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.
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.
Type: string. Norwegian county name, e.g. "Troms", "Oslo".
Type: integer. Restrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).
Type: integer. Restrict to items published/issued in this year range (inclusive).
Type: yes/no. Only items that have been digitized.
Type: string. One of date, title, otherid, firstDigitalContentTime, optionally suffixed ",desc" (default: relevance).
Type: integer. Zero-based page index.
Type: integer. Results per page, 1 to 100 (default 10).

Result

Source: National Library of Norway. Retrieved 2026-09-21T03:09:38Z in 0.190 seconds.

total:
24931
page:
0
size:
10
items:

10 results

  1. id:
    c61c319634d23bd43a49e882e5c26c8f
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2020110407906
    title:
    lEfficient commit processing in high-availability main-memory databases
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Kolltveit, Heine
    2. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Institutt for datateknikk og informasjonsvitenskap
    year:
    2008
    publisher:
    Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Information Technology, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering, Department of Computer and Information Science
    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_2020110407906_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/c61c319634d23bd43a49e882e5c26c8f
  2. id:
    ed8b2f2250040daa89f14d15e86998fc
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000012330
    title:
    Urbânia 6 : public as Mutual
    creators:

    8 results

    1. Kunsch, Graziela
    2. Durante, Milena
    3. Guimarães, Daniel
    4. Lafuente, Pablo
    5. Bennett, Dominique Makins
    6. Ayer, Mauricio
    7. Mahfuz, Roberta
    8. Adams, Gavin
    year:
    2021
    publisher:
    Oslobiennalen
    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_000012330_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/ed8b2f2250040daa89f14d15e86998fc
  3. id:
    169f55d7d4d0c2a6a59ff055645ac129
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2022110148035
    title:
    Urbânia 6 : public as mutual
    creators:

    8 results

    1. Kunsch, Graziela
    2. Durante, Milena
    3. Guimarães, Daniel
    4. Lafuente, Pablo
    5. Bennett, Dominique Makins
    6. Ayer, Mauricio
    7. Mahfuz, Roberta
    8. Adams, Gavin
    year:
    2021
    publisher:
    osloBIENNALEN
    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_2022110148035_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/169f55d7d4d0c2a6a59ff055645ac129
  4. id:
    ce17dd0b4253e77248d3db66058a629b
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000045759
    title:
    Consciousness as urgrund and fragment : introduction as insight
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Schantz, Dag von
    year:
    2024
    publisher:
    Atum editions
    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_000045759_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/ce17dd0b4253e77248d3db66058a629b
  5. id:
    f73dc10a093b4fbeb833be0dc7540289
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008072500029
    title:
    As you like it. 2
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Hagéus, Mildred
    year:
    1985
    publisher:
    Samlaget
    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_2008072500029_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/f73dc10a093b4fbeb833be0dc7540289
  6. id:
    52a6a8b2bfc1c99cdec9742aa538e1d2
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2016062108133
    title:
    Contracts as hierarchical documents
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Stinchcombe, Arthur L.
    year:
    1984
    publisher:
    not reported by source
    media_types:

    1 results

    1. bøker
    languages:

    1 results

    1. nob
    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_2016062108133_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/52a6a8b2bfc1c99cdec9742aa538e1d2
  7. id:
    8432410af3624ad76f51ae2a57052d83
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009042400024
    title:
    Asset or burden? : Poland as NATO's new eastern frontier
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Martinsen, Kåre Dahl
    year:
    2001
    publisher:
    Institutt for forsvarsstudier
    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_2009042400024_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/8432410af3624ad76f51ae2a57052d83
  8. id:
    08d6c6941904cf6310cab9ac1afe8116
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000007955
    title:
    Enterprise software as design infrastructure
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Li, Magnus
    year:
    2022
    publisher:
    University of Oslo, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Informatics
    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_000007955_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/08d6c6941904cf6310cab9ac1afe8116
  9. id:
    3a5605b2a1d034f864454b2faddb1124
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2016121248048
    title:
    Union egalitarianism as income insurance
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Agell, Jonas
    2. Lommerud, Kjell Erik
    year:
    1991
    publisher:
    Centre for Research in Economics and Business Administration
    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_2016121248048_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/3a5605b2a1d034f864454b2faddb1124
  10. id:
    24349d72ba8fa304eea94799154178eb
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2016121548350
    title:
    Trade policy as entry deterrence
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Orvedal, Linda
    year:
    1992
    publisher:
    not reported by source
    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_2016121548350_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/24349d72ba8fa304eea94799154178eb
limit:
25
offset:
0
returned:
10
has_more_results:
yes
truncated:
yes
next_offset:
10
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

  1. Replace the placeholders in the HTML GET template; remove optional parameters you do not need.
  2. Check types, units, limits and ID formats in the parameter table.
  3. 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.