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 2026-09-27T16:48:00Z in 0.198 seconds.

total:
20498
page:
0
size:
10
items:

10 results

  1. id:
    ed8b2f2250040daa89f14d15e86998fc
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000012330
    title:
    Urbânia 6 : public as Mutual
    creators:

    8 results

    1. Kunsch, Graziela
    2. Durante, Milena
    3. Guimarães, Daniel
    4. Lafuente, Pablo
    5. Bennett, Dominique Makins
    6. Ayer, Mauricio
    7. Mahfuz, Roberta
    8. Adams, Gavin
    year:
    2021
    publisher:
    Oslobiennalen
    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_000012330_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/ed8b2f2250040daa89f14d15e86998fc
  2. id:
    169f55d7d4d0c2a6a59ff055645ac129
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2022110148035
    title:
    Urbânia 6 : public as mutual
    creators:

    8 results

    1. Kunsch, Graziela
    2. Durante, Milena
    3. Guimarães, Daniel
    4. Lafuente, Pablo
    5. Bennett, Dominique Makins
    6. Ayer, Mauricio
    7. Mahfuz, Roberta
    8. Adams, Gavin
    year:
    2021
    publisher:
    osloBIENNALEN
    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_2022110148035_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/169f55d7d4d0c2a6a59ff055645ac129
  3. 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
  4. id:
    d3586ff162d153cfa061a502f0c06ae7
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2017012348090
    title:
    Agriculture as a provider of public goods
    creators:

    3 results

    1. Brunstad, Rolf Jens
    2. Gaasland, Ivar
    3. Vårdal, Erling
    year:
    1993
    publisher:
    LOS-senteret
    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_2017012348090_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/d3586ff162d153cfa061a502f0c06ae7
  5. id:
    f0ce27cd8560e4713af6f426c2d4eca0
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2007110104036
    title:
    Temporary layoffs as a worker discipline device
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Strand, Jon
    year:
    1991
    publisher:
    University of Oslo, Department of Economics
    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_2007110104036_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/f0ce27cd8560e4713af6f426c2d4eca0
  6. id:
    e616ec138bccf2e314746c710b39855b
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2025082906044
    title:
    Pure as the angels, wise as the dead : the culture of infancy in Zambia
    creators:

    3 results

    1. Smørholm, Sesilie
    2. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
    3. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Institutt for pedagogikk og livslang læring
    year:
    2021
    publisher:
    Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Department of Education and Lifelong Learnin
    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_2025082906044_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/e616ec138bccf2e314746c710b39855b
  7. id:
    3083f32c2a8d5a7a87a9dfd420a1ccff
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2017091107011
    title:
    Reiseliv gjennom 150 år : Bennett reisebureau AS - Bennett BTI Nordic Norge AS : 1850-2000
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Hoemsnes, Ole N.
    2. Bennett BTI Nordic Norge
    year:
    1999
    publisher:
    Reisebyrået
    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_2017091107011_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/3083f32c2a8d5a7a87a9dfd420a1ccff
  8. id:
    d7c129dfc1117457392b05ebe1b28742
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2014100106118
    title:
    Non-marital cohabitation as a way of life
    creators:

    1 results

    1. Ramsøy, Natalie Rogoff
    year:
    1993
    publisher:
    Institute of Applied Social Research
    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_2014100106118_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/d7c129dfc1117457392b05ebe1b28742
  9. id:
    459c798dc01aa3e59d2c9c7e6e472101
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000025193
    title:
    Reunited with its future : Akerselva as project generator
    creators:

    2 results

    1. Kauppila, Toni
    2. Gronning, Øystein
    year:
    2023
    publisher:
    Kunsthøgskolen i 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:
    ALL
    access_allowed_from:
    EVERYWHERE
    thumbnail:
    https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000025193_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/459c798dc01aa3e59d2c9c7e6e472101
  10. id:
    b0a59897e241fc47cbf963c8955e5d2e
    urn:
    URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000021890
    title:
    Fraudcoin : 1000 years with Inflation as a policy
    creators:

    3 results

    1. Østgård, Rune
    2. Østgård, Ingrid Elise
    3. Baker-Marflitt, Scott
    year:
    2022
    publisher:
    Undoqo.com
    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_000021890_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
    viewer_url:
    https://www.nb.no/items/b0a59897e241fc47cbf963c8955e5d2e
limit:
25
offset:
0
returned:
10
has_more_results:
yes
truncated:
yes
next_offset:
10
Will you use the result in generated code?

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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.