Open Library API
Provides free access to metadata for millions of books, including search across titles, authors, and subjects, and detailed lookup of works, editions, and author records by ISBN or Open Library ID.
Screenshot:
Slug: openlibrary
Key:
Base URL:
Auth: none
Endpoints: 27
Category: culture
Reachable: yes
CORS: unknown
Tier: verified
Last checked: 2026-03-14 16:08:57.062124
Key:
openlibrary.org:open-library-apiBase URL:
https://openlibrary.org/api/Auth: none
Endpoints: 27
Category: culture
Reachable: yes
CORS: unknown
Tier: verified
Last checked: 2026-03-14 16:08:57.062124
Links
Documentation:
- Open Library API Documentation official
Topics
Tutorials
- Getting Started with Open Library — I can look up any book by ISBN, search authors and their pseudonyms, browse works by subject, and walk the work-to-edition hierarchy — all from Open Library's free, unauthenticated API.
Skills
- Access book metadata — I can look up any book by ISBN, search authors and their pseudonyms, or browse works by subject — all from Open Library's free, unauthenticated API.
- Search open library authors — I can search Open Library for any author by name or keyword — including resolving pseudonyms back to the real author — but alternate names may include fictional in-universe authors alongside real pen names.
Endpoints (27)
| Path | Summary | Response | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|
| api/books | Get book data by identifier | application/json |
none |
| api/volumes/brief/{key_type}/{value}.json | Get volume information | application/json |
none |
| authors/{authorId}.json | Get author by ID | application/json |
none |
| authors/{authorId}/works.json | Get works by author | application/json |
none |
| authors/{author_id}.json | Get author details | application/json |
none |
| authors/{id}.json | Get author by ID | application/json |
— |
| authors/{id}/works.json | Get works by author | application/json |
— |
| authors/{olid}.json | Get author by OLID | application/json |
none |
| authors/{olid}/works.json | Get works by author | application/json |
none |
| books/{editionId}.json | Get edition by ID | application/json |
none |
| books/{id}.json | Get edition by ID | application/json |
— |
| books/{olid} | Get edition by OLID | application/json |
none |
| books/{olid}.json | Get edition by OLID | application/json |
none |
| covers/b/id/{coverId}-{size}.jpg | Get book cover image | ? |
— |
| covers/{key_type}/{value}-{size}.jpg | Get book cover image | image/jpeg |
none |
| isbn/{isbn}.json | Get edition by ISBN | application/json |
none |
| search.json | Search for books | application/json |
none |
| search/authors.json | Search authors | application/json |
none |
| subjects/{subject}.json | Get works by subject | application/json |
none |
| works/{id}.json | Get work by ID | application/json |
— |
| works/{id}/bookshelves.json | Get bookshelves for a work | application/json |
— |
| works/{id}/editions.json | Get editions of a work | application/json |
— |
| works/{id}/ratings.json | Get ratings for a work | application/json |
— |
| works/{olid}.json | Get work by OLID | application/json |
none |
| works/{workId}.json | Get work by ID | application/json |
none |
| works/{workId}/editions.json | Get editions of a work | application/json |
none |
| works/{work_id}.json | Get work details | application/json |
none |
