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 2026-09-22T06:48:23Z in 0.251 seconds.

total:
1165446
page:
0
size:
10
items:

10 results

  1. id:
    90de93ec4f502d4a967af2cbe3c64594
    urn:
    not reported by source
    title:
    Auto'n i generasjoner : med Larviks auto-central AS i over 80 år
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Nord, Einar
    2. Larviks auto-central
    year:
    2003
    publisher:
    [Centralen]
    media_types:

    1 results

    1. bøker
    languages:

    1 results

    1. nob
    county:
    not reported by source
    digital:
    no
    public_domain:
    no
    license:
    copyrighted
    viewability:
    NONE
    access_allowed_from:
    NB
    thumbnail:
    not reported by source
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/90de93ec4f502d4a967af2cbe3c64594
  2. id:
    22520649aee8d7a08e31d0c0045f4ba8
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2024060648053
    title:
    Historien om Johan Galten AS 1924 - 2024
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Owrenn, Ulf Erik
    2. John Galten AS
    year:
    2024
    publisher:
    [John Galten 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_2024060648053_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/22520649aee8d7a08e31d0c0045f4ba8
  3. id:
    a6903cfad844ba7dd096a0ba69832807
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2022102048040
    title:
    Schenker AS: 100 år i Norge : 1916-2016
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Spurkeland, Einar
    2. Hamnøy, Odd
    year:
    2016
    publisher:
    Schenker 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_2022102048040_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/a6903cfad844ba7dd096a0ba69832807
  4. id:
    4d8b9644201aa6458fba753667c0c452
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011091606005
    title:
    Med livbåt i hundre : en fortelling om Norsafe AS, tidligere Jørgensen & Vik AS : 1903-2003
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Eikeland, Olav
    2. Norsafe AS
    year:
    2003
    publisher:
    [Norsafe]
    media_types:

    1 results

    1. bøker
    languages:

    3 results

    1. eng
    2. nob
    3. mul
    county:
    Agder
    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_2011091606005_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/4d8b9644201aa6458fba753667c0c452
  5. id:
    937cc71798a59ce0b67df30f43d8a37e
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008111304069
    title:
    Fosby AS - i jobb i 70 år
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Hultengreen, Harald
    year:
    2001
    publisher:
    Hugin 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_2008111304069_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/937cc71798a59ce0b67df30f43d8a37e
  6. id:
    afb5d1275bccec9e43fc0b05c85067ac
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011012003036
    title:
    Trondheim verft AS
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Andreassen, Elin
    year:
    2009
    publisher:
    Tapir akademisk forl.
    media_types:

    1 results

    1. bøker
    languages:

    3 results

    1. nob
    2. mul
    3. pol
    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_2011012003036_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/afb5d1275bccec9e43fc0b05c85067ac
  7. id:
    11356cad8b2f83937a793156f62cde46
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012112638057
    title:
    Vognmand : A. Vinje 1889, Vinjes transport AS 2010
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Vinje, Arne O.
    year:
    2010
    publisher:
    [Vinjes transport 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_2012112638057_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/11356cad8b2f83937a793156f62cde46
  8. id:
    7639f98501c0fb0e809df05a784fa20f
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009032504038
    title:
    Bygget skal opp : entreprenørselskapet AS Miljøbygg på Gjøvik 20 år
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Miljøbygg, AS
    year:
    2000
    publisher:
    Selskapet
    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_2009032504038_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/7639f98501c0fb0e809df05a784fa20f
  9. 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
  10. id:
    6225f6dc4cdacc60fa531572024ba414
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2025010380012_001
    title:
    BD nå : kundemagasin fra Brødrene Dahl AS. 2010 Nr. Februar
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Brødrene Dahl AS
    year:
    2010
    publisher:
    Brødrene Dahl AS
    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_2025010380012_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/6225f6dc4cdacc60fa531572024ba414
limit:
25
offset:
0
returned:
10
has_more_results:
yes
truncated:
yes
next_offset:
10
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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.