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 2026-09-25T03:08:07Z in 0.275 seconds.

total:

881282

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
274af743a55b11b946e942a2ecd10e09
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2019072907113
title:
MFA graduate show 2015 : in the usual direction of travel
creators:
1 results
1. In the Usual Direction of Travel (utstilling)
year:
2015
publisher:
Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
3 results
1. eng
2. nob
3. mul
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_2019072907113_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/274af743a55b11b946e942a2ecd10e09
id:
b3723d114e0b223794f50697658d682c
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024120383087_001
title:
Travel news årbok. 2005
creators:
not reported by source
year:
2005
publisher:
Emma Publishing
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_2024120383087_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/b3723d114e0b223794f50697658d682c
id:
47bd8d1f51e9045fc001c042a1de179f
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012121007042
title:
G : roman
creators:
2 results
1. Berger, John
2. Larsen, IdaLou
year:
1983
publisher:
Gyldendal
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_2012121007042_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/47bd8d1f51e9045fc001c042a1de179f
id:
00566ad88627e9a835540e0ef1e9c0a2
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2018032348101
title:
Hvordan leve sunt i en travel hverdag
creators:
1 results
1. Jarleskog, Linda G.
year:
2008
publisher:
Tindlund
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_2018032348101_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/00566ad88627e9a835540e0ef1e9c0a2
id:
9585cdd05b9fd292ca8c650a707684a8
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023121580001_001
title:
HSMAI travel business : forretningsreiser, konferanser, trender. 2003 Nr. 1
creators:
1 results
1. HSMAI Chapter Norway
year:
2003
publisher:
HSMAI
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_2023121580001_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/9585cdd05b9fd292ca8c650a707684a8
id:
7c882afa63650cce24a19224253a54ca
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023112980048_003
title:
HSMAI travel business : forretningsreiser, konferanser, trender. 2004 Nr. 4
creators:
1 results
1. HSMAI Chapter Norway
year:
2004
publisher:
HSMAI
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_2023112980048_003_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/7c882afa63650cce24a19224253a54ca
id:
7f34820949151ea8b5d4573edda6a134
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023121580001_007
title:
HSMAI travel business : forretningsreiser, konferanser, trender. 2005 Nr. 4
creators:
1 results
1. HSMAI Chapter Norway
year:
2005
publisher:
HSMAI
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_2023121580001_007_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/7f34820949151ea8b5d4573edda6a134
id:
89fac41097cc4b60d882849e839dfffe
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023121580001_004
title:
HSMAI travel business : forretningsreiser, konferanser, trender. 2003 Nr. 4
creators:
1 results
1. HSMAI Chapter Norway
year:
2003
publisher:
HSMAI
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_2023121580001_004_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/89fac41097cc4b60d882849e839dfffe
id:
8b83f6f7b804755f071b204666f9889b
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023121580001_008
title:
HSMAI travel business : forretningsreiser, konferanser, trender. 2006 Nr. 1
creators:
1 results
1. HSMAI Chapter Norway
year:
2006
publisher:
HSMAI
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_2023121580001_008_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/8b83f6f7b804755f071b204666f9889b
id:
47602323141f4eefdc7bc7a77b478f10
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023121580001_005
title:
HSMAI travel business : forretningsreiser, konferanser, trender. 2004 Nr. 1
creators:
1 results
1. HSMAI Chapter Norway
year:
2004
publisher:
HSMAI
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_2023121580001_005_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/47602323141f4eefdc7bc7a77b478f10

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.