literature-retrieval

Locate, download, and organize open-access academic papers into a literature library.

Updated Jan 7, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/jpolog/nix-os --skill literature-retrieval-jpolog
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: literature-retrieval
Source: https://github.com/jpolog/nix-os/tree/main/pi-agent-data/agent/skills/literature-retrieval
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/jpolog/nix-os --skill literature-retrieval-jpolog

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Researchers waste time locating, downloading, and organizing open-access papers scattered across multiple sources, and struggle to maintain a verifiable literature library with download status and metadata.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Discovery from Anna's Archive, arXiv, Semantic Scholar, and Unpaywall; automatic download prioritization and status tracking; centralized catalog in literature/catalog.md; downloadable PDFs in literature/papers; reproducibility log in literature/search-log.md.

Quick Start

Run the retrieval workflow to begin populating literature/papers and updating literature/catalog.md.

Frequently Asked Questions about literature-retrieval

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I automate downloading open-access papers from arXiv and Semantic Scholar?

You can automate downloading open-access papers by running a retrieval workflow that queries sources like arXiv, Semantic Scholar, and Unpaywall, automatically fetching valid PDFs and recording their metadata in a centralized catalog.

What is the best way to organize a verifiable academic literature library?

Organizing a verifiable literature library involves tracking provenance and download status in a central catalog file, while storing validated PDFs in a dedicated project directory to ensure reproducibility and metadata accuracy.

Can I use Anna's Archive JSON API to fetch academic papers for my project?

Yes, you can use the Anna's Archive JSON API as a discovery source to locate academic papers, with fallback options to other open-access repositories to ensure successful PDF retrieval and catalog tracking.

How do I track download status and provenance for retrieved literature?

You track download status and provenance by enforcing verification steps during retrieval and logging search queries and sources in a reproducibility log, updating the centralized catalog with valid PDF records.

Does this literature retrieval workflow verify the integrity of downloaded PDFs?

Yes, the literature retrieval workflow enforces prerequisite checks and verification steps to ensure downloaded PDFs are valid before they are properly recorded and organized in your project library.

What are the limitations of using open-access sources for academic paper discovery?

Open-access discovery depends on source availability and API access; if a primary source lacks a downloadable PDF, the workflow relies on fallback options like Unpaywall to locate open-access versions.