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 2026-09-23T21:26:04Z in 0.226 seconds.

total:

13346

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
aa1d2290d1d1e5cdce740cba63c0e519
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2016060908093
title:
Symposium om brannskadeberedskap og brannskadebehandling, Oslo 31. mars 1981
creators:
4 results
1. Ugland, Ole Martinius
2. Weiders farmasøytiske
3. Brannskadesymposium
4. Smith & Nephew Pharmaceuticals
year:
1982
publisher:
Weifa
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_2016060908093_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/aa1d2290d1d1e5cdce740cba63c0e519
id:
e5951e2fb74622332e235c6c4bf7e994
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011040406137
title:
Shepherd and prophet : a guide to the ministry of a shepherd and life in the church
creators:
1 results
1. Smith, Kåre J.
year:
2010
publisher:
Skjulte skatters forl.
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_2011040406137_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/e5951e2fb74622332e235c6c4bf7e994
id:
c1466f71023ba56df2c41cc8ad271144
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2017110848037
title:
Meningococcal disease : clinical and epidemiological aspects
creators:
1 results
1. Smith, Ingrid
year:
2006
publisher:
Institute of Medicine, 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_2017110848037_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/c1466f71023ba56df2c41cc8ad271144
id:
f69e387f94d2e802559a6960ea8f2447
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000029558
title:
Norwegian garden cities : yesterday, today - and tomorrow?
creators:
1 results
1. Wergeland, Even Smith
year:
2022
publisher:
Cappelen Damm akademisk
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_000029558_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/f69e387f94d2e802559a6960ea8f2447
id:
20b5ce826cf263bd5110b2713e21c951
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000010088
title:
Norwegian Garden Cities : yesterday, today – and tomorrow?
creators:
1 results
1. Wergeland, Even Smith
year:
2022
publisher:
Cappelen Damm Akademisk
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_000010088_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/20b5ce826cf263bd5110b2713e21c951
id:
5fc46f787104a3f7afd37e2a14498392
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008102300040
title:
Engelsk handelskorrespondanse for skoler og kontorer
creators:
1 results
1. Smith, Bjarne W.
year:
1909
publisher:
Giertsen
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
3 results
1. eng
2. nob
3. mul
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_2008102300040_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/5fc46f787104a3f7afd37e2a14498392
id:
6a1f6c0638216fae34d3f7f1ff3c7eae
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2016111748625
title:
Adressebok for elektroindustri og elektrisitetsverker = : Directory of electro industry and electricity-works... = Directory of electrotechnical industry and electricityworks = Adressbuch für Elektro-Industrie und Elektrizitetswerke
creators:
1 results
1. Smith-Isaksen, Hj
year:
1934
publisher:
Stranberg & Co
media_types:
1 results
1. bøker
languages:
4 results
1. eng
2. ger
3. nob
4. 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_2016111748625_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/6a1f6c0638216fae34d3f7f1ff3c7eae
id:
ba4e7f1f30e5a2c4fb94cafeaa38e1d7
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2015102308103
title:
Nansen : the explorer as hero
creators:
1 results
1. Huntford, Roland
year:
1997
publisher:
Duckworth
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_2015102308103_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/ba4e7f1f30e5a2c4fb94cafeaa38e1d7
id:
5845cc57ae709a0b8d20661802aabbb8
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2013080608040
title:
Engelsk handelskorrespondance for handelsskoler og kontorer
creators:
1 results
1. Smith, Bjarne W.
year:
1902
publisher:
not reported by source
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_2013080608040_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/5845cc57ae709a0b8d20661802aabbb8
id:
5baca32ab912df20a426180d974078b8
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2021092348559
title:
Swing time
creators:
2 results
1. Smith, Zadie
2. Stubhaug, Hilde
year:
2018
publisher:
Aschehoug
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_2021092348559_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/5baca32ab912df20a426180d974078b8

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.