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 2026-09-23T11:30:16Z in 0.181 seconds.

total:
6696
page:
0
size:
10
items:

10 results

  1. id:
    012f83b4a666b4e6d1b3ecd78a0e4eed
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2025040780030_001
    title:
    Aktuelt (Simonsen Føyen advokatfirma) : nyhetsbrev fra Simonsen Føyen advokatfirma DA. 2004 Nr. 1
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Simonsen Føyen advokatfirma
    year:
    2004
    publisher:
    Firmaet
    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_2025040780030_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/012f83b4a666b4e6d1b3ecd78a0e4eed
  2. id:
    00151d8eb3c48708d382deaf040766cb
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000031277
    title:
    Evaluering av tilskuddsordning på oppdrag for Helsedirektoratet : studenter - psykisk helse og rusmiddelbruk
    creators:
    not reported by source
    year:
    2023
    publisher:
    Helsedirektoratet
    media_types:

    1 results

    1. bøker
    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_pliktmonografi_000031277_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/00151d8eb3c48708d382deaf040766cb
  3. id:
    5b842ea6e2adbdd23913d626231a0a3e
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2015060308129
    title:
    Temahefte 2011 : arbeidsrett
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Føyen advokatfirma
    year:
    2011
    publisher:
    Føyen advokatfirma
    media_types:

    1 results

    1. bøker
    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_digibok_2015060308129_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/5b842ea6e2adbdd23913d626231a0a3e
  4. id:
    35a5c39e6a985c90ef266855b8746164
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012081508155
    title:
    Skattereformen 1992
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Kleiven, Bjørn
    2. Deloitte Noraudit
    year:
    1992
    publisher:
    Deloitte Noraudit
    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_2012081508155_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/35a5c39e6a985c90ef266855b8746164
  5. id:
    9f0cd63e11f1a1fadc1059677a8a7a75
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2013042906034
    title:
    Skattefri omdannelse av næringsvirksomhet : fra deltakerlignet selskap og enkeltmannsforetak til aksjeselskap
    creators:

    3 results

    1. Kvarme, Hanne Benedicte Fritzsønn
    2. Lorentzen, Trine Agathe
    3. Kluge advokatfirma
    year:
    2004
    publisher:
    Abstrakt forl.
    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_2013042906034_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/9f0cd63e11f1a1fadc1059677a8a7a75
  6. id:
    37869d2c2055ff1d5309e2552cfc074d
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024042580046_002
    title:
    Birkebeiner'n : offisielt magasin for Birkebeinerrennet AS og Birkebeinerrittet AS. 2008 Vol. 20 Nr. 5b
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Birkebeinerrittet
    2. Birkebeinerrennet
    year:
    2008
    publisher:
    Sport media
    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_2024042580046_002_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/37869d2c2055ff1d5309e2552cfc074d
  7. id:
    e1c82409eb9e99b758514598b5b3b57d
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024071980003_009
    title:
    Birkebeiner'n : offisielt magasin for Birkebeinerrennet AS og Birkebeinerrittet AS. 2007 Vol. 19 Nr. 6b
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Birkebeinerrittet
    2. Birkebeinerrennet
    year:
    2007
    publisher:
    Sport media
    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_2024071980003_009_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/e1c82409eb9e99b758514598b5b3b57d
  8. id:
    4c8e3521866c58a0915e096142ae25e4
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024111480006_001
    title:
    Birkebeiner'n : offisielt magasin for Birkebeinerrennet AS og Birkebeinerrittet AS. 2009 Vol. 21 Nr. 1b
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Birkebeinerrittet
    2. Birkebeinerrennet
    year:
    2009
    publisher:
    Sport media
    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_2024111480006_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/4c8e3521866c58a0915e096142ae25e4
  9. id:
    8365a683dfddbeb9ea5c71b0e39b4fb5
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2026022680105_008
    title:
    Birkebeiner'n : offisielt magasin for Birkebeinerrennet AS og Birkebeinerrittet AS. 2006 Vol. 18 Nr. B
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Birkebeinerrittet
    2. Birkebeinerrennet
    year:
    2006
    publisher:
    Sport media
    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_2026022680105_008_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/8365a683dfddbeb9ea5c71b0e39b4fb5
  10. id:
    949d4190394dce08e072ace0aa520401
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024111480006_002
    title:
    Birkebeiner'n : offisielt magasin for Birkebeinerrennet AS og Birkebeinerrittet AS. 2009 Vol. 21 Nr. Birkebeinerløpet (Unr)
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Birkebeinerrittet
    2. Birkebeinerrennet
    year:
    2009
    publisher:
    Sport media
    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_2024111480006_002_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/949d4190394dce08e072ace0aa520401
limit:
25
offset:
0
returned:
10
has_more_results:
yes
truncated:
yes
next_offset:
10
Will you use the result in generated code?

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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.