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.

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": "..."}
}

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 2026-08-02T18:04:03Z in 0.195 seconds.

total:

2189

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
107c49cedbcad4be7dfcebd164b36389
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2017041248038
title:
Secr et languages in Norway. 1944:3 : The Romany language in Norway
creators:
1 results
1. Iversen, Ragnvald
year:
1944
publisher:
I kommisjon hos Dybwad
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:
bokhylla
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NORWAY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2017041248038_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/107c49cedbcad4be7dfcebd164b36389
id:
a68099fec2e99e89193ea91dc4b9d8ed
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012041108056
title:
A journey without Baedeker in Norway
creators:
1 results
1. Forbath, Alex
year:
1937
publisher:
Wells Gardner, Darton & Co.
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_2012041108056_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/a68099fec2e99e89193ea91dc4b9d8ed
id:
3fe41f02bee5c1d6332f940fd8b9ed54
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022061680027_001
title:
Telektronikk. 2003 Vol. 99 Nr. 1
creators:
5 results
1. Norway. Telegrafstyret.
2. Norway. Televerket.
3. Telenor.
4. Televerkets forskningsinstitutt.
5. Norway. Teledirektoratet.
year:
2003
publisher:
Telegrafstyret
media_types:
1 results
1. tidsskrift
languages:
3 results
1. eng
2. nor
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_digitidsskrift_2022061680027_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/3fe41f02bee5c1d6332f940fd8b9ed54
id:
3d54cc724824ec773e46d0428b6823f9
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022061680027_002
title:
Telektronikk. 2003 Vol. 99 Nr. 2
creators:
5 results
1. Norway. Telegrafstyret.
2. Norway. Televerket.
3. Telenor.
4. Televerkets forskningsinstitutt.
5. Norway. Teledirektoratet.
year:
2003
publisher:
Telegrafstyret
media_types:
1 results
1. tidsskrift
languages:
3 results
1. eng
2. nor
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_digitidsskrift_2022061680027_002_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/3d54cc724824ec773e46d0428b6823f9
id:
57bba10f884d58b2aa7751e8648b049d
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022071385018_001
title:
The Norway year book. 1931 Vol. 2
creators:
not reported by source
year:
1931
publisher:
Sverre Mortensen bokhandel
media_types:
1 results
1. tidsskrift
languages:
1 results
1. eng
county:
not reported by source
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
ccbyncnd
viewability:
ALL
access_allowed_from:
EVERYWHERE
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022071385018_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/57bba10f884d58b2aa7751e8648b049d
id:
2a4e0b791e43d5569a65bd35c71fd659
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2010113006077
title:
New people, new places : engelsk for ungdomstrinnet. 3
creators:
1 results
1. Amland, Clara
year:
1999
publisher:
NKS-forl.
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:
bokhylla
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
NORWAY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2010113006077_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/2a4e0b791e43d5569a65bd35c71fd659
id:
69e6b177b004a0eb5f27359a11228d4d
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009091804001
title:
New people, new places : engelsk for ungdomssteget. 3
creators:
1 results
1. Amland, Clara
year:
1999
publisher:
NKS-forl.
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
3 results
1. nno
2. eng
3. mul
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_2009091804001_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/69e6b177b004a0eb5f27359a11228d4d
id:
2f73bada0429d7bf93e1d88d22bbe9a8
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2025112406065
title:
Modelling the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Norway
creators:
3 results
1. Di Ruscio, Francesco
2. Universitetet i Oslo Det medisinske fakultet
3. Universitetet i Oslo Institutt for medisinske basalfag
year:
2019
publisher:
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of 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_2025112406065_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/2f73bada0429d7bf93e1d88d22bbe9a8
id:
25095df81291db5e991fbe7c5dc6e176
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008092900029
title:
Living in Norway : Patricia Crinion Bjaaland's classic guide for new residents
creators:
3 results
1. Bjaaland, Patricia Crinion
2. Drabble, Belinda
3. Brady, Michael
year:
1999
publisher:
Palamedes Press
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_2008092900029_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/25095df81291db5e991fbe7c5dc6e176
id:
a2233d30a06b8b46cfb55aeb85e8a713
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012052224056
title:
A Hand-book for travellers in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland
creators:
not reported by source
year:
1858
publisher:
John Murray
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_2012052224056_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/a2233d30a06b8b46cfb55aeb85e8a713

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

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.