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 2026-09-26T01:57:02Z in 0.250 seconds.

total:
6736
page:
0
size:
10
items:

10 results

  1. id:
    e9b9385e90920ddfa7bd4db3f73b30f0
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008061100009
    title:
    Studies on the phosphoglucomutase (PGM) characterrs of human red cells
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Monn, Eirik
    year:
    1969
    publisher:
    Universitetsforlaget
    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_2008061100009_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/e9b9385e90920ddfa7bd4db3f73b30f0
  2. id:
    f7119f238313ff6681a59096ae6ea9fc
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2016121248516
    title:
    Metabolic engineering : production, purification and characterisation of recombinant phosphoglucomutase (PGM)
    creators:

    3 results

    1. Sæther, Olav
    2. Olsvik, Ellen Sofie
    3. Schartum, Mona
    year:
    1994
    publisher:
    SINTEF, Avdeling for industriell kjemi
    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_2016121248516_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/f7119f238313ff6681a59096ae6ea9fc
  3. id:
    084fc18bf930011f7c870f89d2e9438e
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009070801126
    title:
    Dokumentasjon av LOTTE-AS
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Lian, Bård
    2. Aarbu, Karl Ove
    year:
    1996
    publisher:
    Statistisk sentralbyrå, Forkningsavdelingen, Seksjon for offentlig økonomi og personmodeller
    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_2009070801126_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/084fc18bf930011f7c870f89d2e9438e
  4. id:
    a73361e1a08ae947880d5c387015c5ba
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009022304116
    title:
    Microdialysis as a tool in sleep research
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Portas, Chiara Maria
    year:
    1997
    publisher:
    Department of Physiology, University of Bergen
    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_2009022304116_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/a73361e1a08ae947880d5c387015c5ba
  5. 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
  6. id:
    4ce52d74b30b978f8bf302201f4da2a7
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2026051306072
    title:
    The tradition of Hermes : the Egyptian priestly figure as a teacher of hellenized wisdom
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Bull, Christian
    year:
    2014
    publisher:
    University of Bergen
    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_2026051306072_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/4ce52d74b30b978f8bf302201f4da2a7
  7. id:
    244f62f36dbcf397db38c0fd962b0bc1
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012060705065
    title:
    Lipopolysaccharide as component in an outer membrane vesicle vaccine against meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis of serogroup B
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Andersen, Svein Rune
    year:
    1997
    publisher:
    Department of Vaccinology, National Institute of Public Health
    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_2012060705065_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/244f62f36dbcf397db38c0fd962b0bc1
  8. id:
    51f4fb57558cfc2a91958549adc80ec4
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2010021100015
    title:
    Cavitation as a precursor to breakdown of mass-impregnated HVDC cables
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Evenset, Gunnar
    2. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Institutt for elkraftteknikk
    year:
    1999
    publisher:
    Norges tekniske høgskole, Institutt for elkraftteknikk
    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_2010021100015_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/51f4fb57558cfc2a91958549adc80ec4
  9. id:
    1c44b7b793e004767068179da243c668
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2016072109153
    title:
    Deviations from total information and from total ignorance as measures of information
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Torgersen, Erik
    year:
    1976
    publisher:
    University of Oslo
    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_2016072109153_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/1c44b7b793e004767068179da243c668
  10. id:
    5fa813f962702af3af807dbf22a5b612
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2021011848623
    title:
    Newborn T-cell receptor excision circles as a measure of T-cell lymphopenia
    creators:

    3 results

    1. Gul, Kiran Aftab
    2. Universitetet i Oslo Det medisinske fakultet
    3. Universitetet i Oslo Institutt for klinisk medisin
    year:
    2021
    publisher:
    Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
    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_2021011848623_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/5fa813f962702af3af807dbf22a5b612
limit:
25
offset:
0
returned:
10
has_more_results:
yes
truncated:
yes
next_offset:
10
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

  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.