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 2026-09-28T07:08:48Z in 0.269 seconds.

total:

184

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
d18a79f634c0e71c439105f553b51b6f
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2019031481525_001
title:
Steinkjer-Saga : kultur- og lokalhistorisk magasin for Steinkjer. 2002 Vol. 12 Nr. 1
creators:
1 results
1. Foreningen Gamle Steinkjer
year:
2002
publisher:
Foreningen Gamle Steinkjer.
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_2019031481525_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/d18a79f634c0e71c439105f553b51b6f
id:
e5a03669b45b9938f8c03f7d96bb88ed
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2015110381047_001
title:
Steinkjer-Saga : kultur- og lokalhistorisk magasin for Steinkjer. 2006 Vol. 16 Nr. 1
creators:
1 results
1. Foreningen Gamle Steinkjer
year:
2006
publisher:
Foreningen Gamle Steinkjer.
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_2015110381047_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/e5a03669b45b9938f8c03f7d96bb88ed
id:
4ca9192d9387932eb5e7729e833b1ba9
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2018103007380
title:
Hundre pluss : Steinkjer skiklubb 125 år : 1885-1985-2010
creators:
1 results
1. Steinkjer skiklubb
year:
2010
publisher:
[Steinkjer skiklubb]
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_2018103007380_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/4ca9192d9387932eb5e7729e833b1ba9
id:
f453a2b9d99a547871e7d9fb21ea264f
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20150109_0_001_1
title:
Steinkjer-Avisa
creators:
not reported by source
year:
20150109
publisher:
not reported by source
media_types:
1 results
1. aviser
languages:
1 results
1. Norsk bokmål
county:
Trøndelag
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
LIBRARY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20150109_0_001_1-1_001_null/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/f453a2b9d99a547871e7d9fb21ea264f
id:
9a9de16a74161f5b238a4fc39230229a
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20040123_0_3_1
title:
Steinkjer-Avisa
creators:
not reported by source
year:
20040123
publisher:
not reported by source
media_types:
1 results
1. aviser
languages:
1 results
1. Norsk bokmål
county:
Trøndelag
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
LIBRARY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20040123_0_3_1-1_001_null/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/9a9de16a74161f5b238a4fc39230229a
id:
2ce073c786f0f511f996162251e2d1b4
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20151002_0_036_1
title:
Steinkjer-Avisa
creators:
not reported by source
year:
20151002
publisher:
not reported by source
media_types:
1 results
1. aviser
languages:
1 results
1. Norsk bokmål
county:
Trøndelag
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
LIBRARY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20151002_0_036_1-1_001_null/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/2ce073c786f0f511f996162251e2d1b4
id:
66ae58dd8a7c54e737f57a3fa30103f5
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20171208_0_49_1
title:
Steinkjer-Avisa
creators:
not reported by source
year:
20171208
publisher:
not reported by source
media_types:
1 results
1. aviser
languages:
1 results
1. Norsk bokmål
county:
Trøndelag
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
LIBRARY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20171208_0_49_1-01_001_seksjonsnavn/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/66ae58dd8a7c54e737f57a3fa30103f5
id:
8cc96b04d860521b01543c0d3788acff
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20050408_0_13_1
title:
Steinkjer-Avisa
creators:
not reported by source
year:
20050408
publisher:
not reported by source
media_types:
1 results
1. aviser
languages:
1 results
1. Norsk bokmål
county:
Trøndelag
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
LIBRARY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20050408_0_13_1-1_001_null/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/8cc96b04d860521b01543c0d3788acff
id:
ea4881148fc088c4493eafedca02f654
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20010316_16_11_1
title:
Steinkjer-Avisa
creators:
not reported by source
year:
20010316
publisher:
not reported by source
media_types:
1 results
1. aviser
languages:
1 results
1. Norsk bokmål
county:
Trøndelag
digital:
yes
public_domain:
no
license:
copyrighted
viewability:
NONE
access_allowed_from:
LIBRARY
thumbnail:
https://www.nb.no/services/image/resolver/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20010316_16_11_1-1_001_null/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/ea4881148fc088c4493eafedca02f654
id:
48aed282c936dd08c18367bd83d146b0
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20260924_0_36_1
title:
Steinkjer-Avisa
creators:
not reported by source
year:
20260924
publisher:
not reported by source
media_types:
1 results
1. aviser
languages:
1 results
1. Norsk bokmål
county:
Trøndelag
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_digavis_steinkjeravisa_null_null_20260924_0_36_1-1_001_hovedavis/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/48aed282c936dd08c18367bd83d146b0

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.