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 2026-09-27T20:51:23Z in 0.212 seconds.

total:

295748

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
1a5d0b8649f967cf47981e7104926f1c
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011081006034
title:
Erfaring - vår framtid : AS Bolaks 1975-2010
creators:
2 results
1. Vangsnes, Ella Marie Brekke
2. Bolaks AS
year:
2010
publisher:
AS Bolaks
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. nno
county:
Vestland
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_2011081006034_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/1a5d0b8649f967cf47981e7104926f1c
id:
e982cd6e09fecc6fc57b1d6770f8f045
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009121600108
title:
Papers presented at the international conference: Considering the Researcher as Human Being
creators:
2 results
1. Considering the Researcher as Human Being (konferanse)
2. Kvernbekk, Tone
year:
1996
publisher:
Universitetet i Oslo, Pedagogisk Forskningsinstitutt
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_2009121600108_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/e982cd6e09fecc6fc57b1d6770f8f045
id:
859ef7e7db0017682e0b34c1af4f0500
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2013062038019
title:
Historien om Harald Nilsen AS : 1959-2009 : kvalitet gjennom 50 år
creators:
2 results
1. Mjøen, Jarle
2. Harald Nilsen AS
year:
2009
publisher:
Harald Nilsen AS
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_2013062038019_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/859ef7e7db0017682e0b34c1af4f0500
id:
0d694787b49259257dad0d10bbad73c1
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012062808178
title:
Om Telenor AS
creators:
1 results
1. Norge Samferdselsdepartementet
year:
1995
publisher:
Departementet
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. nob
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
yes
license:
publicdomain
viewability:
ALL
access_allowed_from:
EVERYWHERE
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012062808178_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/0d694787b49259257dad0d10bbad73c1
id:
17df038ec44c2100a0587f06f1072107
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2024012948027
title:
LOBAS 75-årsjubileum : 1947-2022 : Lonevåg beslagfabrikk AS
creators:
2 results
1. Vik, Bjarte
2. Lonevåg beslagfabrikk
year:
2022
publisher:
Lonevåg beslagfabrikk AS
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. nno
county:
Vestland
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_2024012948027_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/17df038ec44c2100a0587f06f1072107
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
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
id:
df3ded7629bce29495871fec5f1ebbdf
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2022102448142
title:
Basic safety training : on board training provided by ASK Safety AS
creators:
1 results
1. Ask Safety AS
year:
2010
publisher:
Ask Safety
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_2022102448142_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/df3ded7629bce29495871fec5f1ebbdf
id:
4ddab1734d108ed3dd54de0b3a00784e
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000008036
title:
Built environment and architecture as a resource
creators:
5 results
1. Built Environment and Architecture as a Resource (symposium) Seinäjoki 2018
2. Chudoba, Minna
3. Hynynen, Ari
4. Rönn, Magnus
5. Toft, Anne Elisabeth
year:
2020
publisher:
Nordic Academic Press of Architectural Research
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_000008036_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/4ddab1734d108ed3dd54de0b3a00784e
id:
2e5dc3faef1124dea0a6ec3ea87ecd86
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2010061706018
title:
Chloro-organic used as disinfectants
creators:
1 results
1. Blom, Hans
year:
1995
publisher:
Nordic Council of Ministers
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
1 results
1. eng
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
yes
license:
publicdomain
viewability:
ALL
access_allowed_from:
EVERYWHERE
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2010061706018_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/2e5dc3faef1124dea0a6ec3ea87ecd86

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.