Book and author lookup via @cyanheads/openlibrary-mcp-server — search, editions, subjects, covers from Open Library

@cyanheads/openlibrary-mcp-server — 9 tools, all credential-free

Install: npm install @cyanheads/openlibrary-mcp-server Entry: node node_modules/@cyanheads/openlibrary-mcp-server/dist/index.js Transport: stdio

Tools (9/9 pass)

Gotchas

• openlibrary_get_cover_url always returns HTTP 200 — a 1×1 placeholder GIF is served when no cover exists
• id_type for editions: isbn, oclc, lccn, or olid
• Author search returns ALL matching names (not just exact); "Frank Herbert" returns 108 results

Verified trace — search → work → edition → author → cover

// Search books
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_search_books", arguments: { query: "Dune Frank Herbert", limit: 3 } });
// → 207 results; Work ID: OL893415W, 120 editions, rating 4.3

// Get work details
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_get_work", arguments: { work_id: "OL893415W" } });
// → "Dune", full description, subjects: [Dune (Imaginary place), Fiction, science fiction...]

// Get editions
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_get_editions", arguments: { work_id: "OL893415W", limit: 3 } });
// → 120 total editions: Portuguese (Aleph 2017), Ace 2003, Greek (Anubis 2020)

// Lookup edition by ISBN
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_get_edition", arguments: { identifier: "9780441172719", id_type: "isbn" } });
// → Edition OL22597282M, Ace Books 1987, 535 pages

// Search authors
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_search_authors", arguments: { query: "Frank Herbert", limit: 3 } });
// → 108 results: Frank Herbert Hayward (OL1758387A), Simonds Frank Herbert (OL1861350A)...

// Get author detail
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_get_author", arguments: { author_id: "OL79034A" } });
// → Frank Herbert, born 8 Oct 1920, died 11 Feb 1986, full bio

// Get author works
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_get_author_works", arguments: { author_id: "OL79034A", limit: 3 } });
// → 275 total works

// Browse by subject
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_get_subject", arguments: { subject: "science fiction", limit: 3 } });
// → 21,076 works; top: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Wizard of Oz

// Get cover URL
await client.callTool({ name: "openlibrary_get_cover_url", arguments: { identifier: "9780441172719", id_type: "isbn", target: "book", size: "L" } });
// → https://covers.openlibrary.org/b/isbn/9780441172719-L.jpg