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 2026-09-24T23:44:41Z in 0.209 seconds.

total:

2159

page:

size:

items:

10 results

id:
faf628568c4004d7bcaea046c1b9d8b4
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2023101848024
title:
Fra asfaltindustriens laboratorium til Veiteknisk institutt : 50 år : 1973-2023
creators:
6 results
1. Andersen, Heidi Hovde
2. Veiteknisk institutt
3. Wulvik, Eirik
4. Modell, Jon Tore
5. Wiborg, Nicolay
6. Telle, Roar
year:
2023
publisher:
Veiteknisk institutt
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_2023101848024_C1/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/faf628568c4004d7bcaea046c1b9d8b4
id:
05ac4d95842f91fce23ffd6a167e5958
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024020680055_008
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1979 Nr. 8
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1979
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2024020680055_008_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/05ac4d95842f91fce23ffd6a167e5958
id:
76d7d6ff5ca07d552e32701cd919f808
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023060180031_002
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1983 Nr. 2
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1983
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2023060180031_002_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/76d7d6ff5ca07d552e32701cd919f808
id:
8874035c2d0e78e31c4207f88ebbcae3
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022021680038_002
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 2004 Nr. 2
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
2004
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2022021680038_002_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/8874035c2d0e78e31c4207f88ebbcae3
id:
469692df539ff15a3b857ed46dc10771
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022050380043_005
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1980 Nr. 5
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1980
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2022050380043_005_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/469692df539ff15a3b857ed46dc10771
id:
8f096d2489bffde7a4e5bfb33de926c1
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2024020680055_002
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1979 Nr. 2
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1979
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2024020680055_002_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/8f096d2489bffde7a4e5bfb33de926c1
id:
051203aa6e66bfc0f6c2060e9459e9bc
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2023060180031_001
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1983 Nr. 1
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1983
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2023060180031_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/051203aa6e66bfc0f6c2060e9459e9bc
id:
ec13122a5c733afd18696c8113be83d9
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022042580039_001
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1982 Nr. 1
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1982
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2022042580039_001_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/ec13122a5c733afd18696c8113be83d9
id:
c156c7c5532c9470032fe4f7003cb8e7
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022042580039_009
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1982 Nr. 9
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1982
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2022042580039_009_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/c156c7c5532c9470032fe4f7003cb8e7
id:
8b8c5050723453ff13a395b032a25039
urn:
URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2022042580039_007
title:
Samferdsel (Transportøkonomisk institutt : 1979-2015). 1982 Nr. 7
creators:
1 results
1. Transportøkonomisk institutt
year:
1982
publisher:
Transportøkonomisk institutt
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_2022042580039_007_0001/full/0,128/0/native.jpg
viewer_url:
https://www.nb.no/items/8b8c5050723453ff13a395b032a25039

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.