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 2026-09-25T21:44:07Z in 0.187 seconds.

total:

123759

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
2820a2e150e50ba070eb3d3dfd293558
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023060583130_001
title:
Elektro (Oslo : 1968-1999) : energiteknikk, elektroteknikk, automatisering. 1981 Nr. 12
creators:
2 results
1. Norsk elektroteknisk forening
2. Norske elektrisitetsverkers forening
year:
1981
publisher:
Norsk elektroteknisk forlag
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_2023060583130_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/2820a2e150e50ba070eb3d3dfd293558
id:
94285ab99f820b3e0433e58ce59367d0
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2025072180024_002
title:
Elektro (Oslo : 2000-2008) : elektroteknisk fagblad : energi, bygg, industri, offshore. mars 2005 Vol. 118 Nr. 2
creators:
1 results
1. Norsk elektroteknisk forening
year:
2005
publisher:
ElektroMedia
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_2025072180024_002_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/94285ab99f820b3e0433e58ce59367d0
id:
5be9502b18922722624bfa3b177f6a76
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024062080033_005
title:
Elektro (Oslo : 2000-2008) : elektroteknisk fagblad : energi, bygg, industri, offshore. mai 2007 Vol. 120 Nr. 5
creators:
1 results
1. Norsk elektroteknisk forening
year:
2007
publisher:
ElektroMedia
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_2024062080033_005_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/5be9502b18922722624bfa3b177f6a76
id:
b62a56206b3fdcb36c9967bb8fd5d1ab
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024062080033_012
title:
Elektro (Oslo : 2000-2008) : elektroteknisk fagblad : energi, bygg, industri, offshore. feb 2008 Vol. 121 Nr. 2
creators:
1 results
1. Norsk elektroteknisk forening
year:
2008
publisher:
ElektroMedia
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_2024062080033_012_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/b62a56206b3fdcb36c9967bb8fd5d1ab
id:
4f0aac1ad76215824cad42f7e142a79c
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024062080033_003
title:
Elektro (Oslo : 2000-2008) : elektroteknisk fagblad : energi, bygg, industri, offshore. mars 2007 Vol. 120 Nr. 3
creators:
1 results
1. Norsk elektroteknisk forening
year:
2007
publisher:
ElektroMedia
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_2024062080033_003_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/4f0aac1ad76215824cad42f7e142a79c
id:
0fb43db66606b2e7f8257ce1fcfc185f
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024062080033_006
title:
Elektro (Oslo : 2000-2008) : elektroteknisk fagblad : energi, bygg, industri, offshore. juni 2007 Vol. 120 Nr. 6
creators:
1 results
1. Norsk elektroteknisk forening
year:
2007
publisher:
ElektroMedia
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_2024062080033_006_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/0fb43db66606b2e7f8257ce1fcfc185f
id:
4aadafc1918ecdf6f29f5d08ee078907
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011040608137
title:
Alfa : økonomi og informasjonsbehandling : GK : Aktivitetsbok
creators:
not reported by source
year:
2000
publisher:
Aschehoug
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. nno
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_2011040608137_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/4aadafc1918ecdf6f29f5d08ee078907
id:
57209477d1027e0bfaed929ce2fec6d7
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011042708017
title:
Alfa : økonomi og informasjonsbehandling : GK : Aktivitetsbok
creators:
not reported by source
year:
2001
publisher:
Aschehoug
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_2011042708017_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/57209477d1027e0bfaed929ce2fec6d7
id:
72d81ea25373d43c55c5cf703cefa671
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011042708015
title:
Alfa : økonomi og informasjonsbehandling : GK : Aktivitetsbok
creators:
not reported by source
year:
2001
publisher:
Aschehoug
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. nno
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_2011042708015_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/72d81ea25373d43c55c5cf703cefa671
id:
a9de63795ce2e9fdc02ded997d802343
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011022306055
title:
Alfa : økonomi og informasjonsbehandling : GK : Aktivitetsbok
creators:
not reported by source
year:
2000
publisher:
Aschehoug
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_2011022306055_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/a9de63795ce2e9fdc02ded997d802343

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.