worldcat-api

Retrieve bibliographic records and library holdings via WorldCat APIs.

2|2|Updated Nov 6, 2025

Search Tags:#API #bibliography #library #holdings #worldcat

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/szweibel/claude-skills --skill worldcat-api

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: worldcat-api
Source: https://github.com/szweibel/claude-skills/tree/main/worldcat-api
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/szweibel/claude-skills --skill worldcat-api

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires bookops-worldcat.

What problem does it solve?

Provides structured access to WorldCat bibliographic metadata and holdings data across institutions, enabling bibliographic enrichment, discovery, and holdings checks.

Core Features & Use Cases

Metadata API access: retrieve brief bibliographic data and classifications.
Holdings search (V2): fetch holdings across institutions via a single call.
Institution lookups: identify which libraries hold a given item.
Use Case: quickly assemble a list of libraries that hold a given ISBN, with catalog metadata for reporting.

Quick Start

Authenticate with WorldCat, then perform a brief bib search for a title such as "Data Structures and Algorithms".

Frequently Asked Questions about worldcat-api

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

FAQPage Schema

How do I find which libraries hold a specific ISBN or OCLC number?▼

WorldCat API enables you to query bibliographic records and retrieve holdings across institutions by ISBN, DOI, OCLC number, or catalog record. Search the Metadata API or Holdings API v2 to identify all libraries holding a given item with a single call.

What authentication does WorldCat API require?▼

WorldCat API uses OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials authentication. You must register for API credentials and authenticate before making RESTful requests to the Metadata API or Search API v2 endpoints.

Can I retrieve bibliographic metadata and classifications from WorldCat?▼

Yes. WorldCat's Metadata API returns brief bibliographic data including LC and Dewey classifications for items identified by ISBN, DOI, OCLC number, or catalog records, enabling bibliographic enrichment and discovery workflows.

Does the bookops-worldcat library support batch operations?▼

The bookops-worldcat Python library wraps WorldCat's RESTful endpoints and supports both batch and per-record operations through the Metadata API and Search API v2, allowing flexible querying at scale.

What's the difference between using the Python library versus direct REST calls to WorldCat?▼

The bookops-worldcat Python library abstracts OAuth 2.0 authentication and endpoint logic for convenience. Direct REST calls to the Metadata API and Search API v2 offer lower-level control and work in any language.

What data can I extract for holdings checks across multiple libraries?▼

Holdings API v2 returns institution names, OCLC library identifiers, and availability status across multiple libraries for a single item, enabling rapid library discovery and holdings reporting.