{
 "schema": "aiblocks-page/1",
 "id": "open-library-book-and-edition-finder",
 "type": "skill",
 "name": "Open Library book and edition finder",
 "summary": "Find a book, its editions, author details and cover links from a title, author or ISBN. Uses the free Open Library catalog. No account needed.",
 "headline": "Open Library book and edition finder",
 "subhead": "Share a book title, author, ISBN, or Open Library record number. It looks up the public catalog and follows links between books, editions, and authors. You get matching records and source details. Live lookups need Python, its requests package, and internet access.",
 "job": {
  "id": "research-topics",
  "name": "Research a topic properly"
 },
 "level": "intermediate",
 "thinking": "medium",
 "tested": true,
 "updated": "2026-10-28",
 "first_published": "2026-10-25",
 "inputs": [
  {
   "type": "question",
   "required": true,
   "label": "Question",
   "what": "the problem, decision or piece of work you want help with, and what a good outcome looks like"
  }
 ],
 "outputs": [
  {
   "type": "shortlist",
   "required": true,
   "label": "Shortlist",
   "what": "a ranked short list chosen from a larger set, with reasons"
  }
 ],
 "you_give": [
  "A title, author, ISBN, or Open Library identifier, plus desired language or result limit."
 ],
 "you_get": [
  "Book and author matches, edition details, public ratings when available, and cover links."
 ],
 "use_when": [],
 "skip_when": [
  "You run a library system, such as Koha, MARC batch work or patron records. Ask your library system vendor or admin team instead.",
  "You need paid book data feeds, such as ISBNdb or Google Books. Use that provider's own service.",
  "You want to manage your own Open Library reading lists or account. Do that by signing in on the Open Library site."
 ],
 "output_sample": {
  "input": [
   "A book title, author name or ISBN",
   "An Open Library record number (optional)",
   "Your language or result limit (optional)"
  ],
  "prerequisites": [
   "An AI that can run code, with Python 3.8 or later and the requests package",
   "Internet access for live lookups"
  ],
  "output": [
   {
    "name": "Book search results",
    "contains": "Matching books with title, authors, first year published, edition count and the work key."
   },
   {
    "name": "Author details",
    "contains": "Bio, dates and photo link for an author, or a list of name matches."
   },
   {
    "name": "Work record",
    "contains": "Description, subjects and cover link for one book across all its editions."
   },
   {
    "name": "ISBN match",
    "contains": "The edition your ISBN points to, with its work and author keys and cover link."
   },
   {
    "name": "Edition list",
    "contains": "Publisher, date and ISBN for each edition of a work, with a way to page through more."
   },
   {
    "name": "Ratings",
    "contains": "Average rating, star counts and how many people want to read, are reading or have read it."
   }
  ]
 },
 "how_to_use": [
  "Add the skill to an AI that can read it and run its helper script. The folder includes the helper.",
  "The bundled helper needs Python 3.8 or later, the requests package, and internet access for live catalog lookups.",
  "Check the setup first. Ask your AI to run the helper with --help. If that fails, Python or the requests package is missing.",
  "Give a title, author, ISBN, or record number. Say whether you want a work, one edition, all editions, or author details. A work is a book as an idea, an edition is one printing of it, and each has its own ID.",
  "Ask for source record links and missing details. An offline plan does not mean a lookup has run.",
  "Next, use the work key it finds to list every edition or read the ratings. Or take the ISBN and cover links to your library or bookshelf tool."
 ],
 "checks": [],
 "next": [
  {
   "name": "Zotero library manager",
   "url": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/zotero-library-manager",
   "why": "Zotero library manager"
  }
 ],
 "source": {
  "by": "Magnus Hedemark",
  "repo": "magnus919/agent-skills",
  "url": "https://github.com/magnus919/agent-skills/tree/92c327e525da69c9ad3812fd223a1770e977c2e3/openlibrary",
  "licence": "MIT",
  "original_name": "openlibrary",
  "commit": "92c327e525da69c9ad3812fd223a1770e977c2e3"
 },
 "credits": [
  {
   "title": "openlibrary skill",
   "by": "Magnus Hedemark",
   "url": "https://github.com/magnus919/agent-skills/tree/92c327e525da69c9ad3812fd223a1770e977c2e3/openlibrary",
   "used": "Copied under the MIT licence. We gave it a plain name. We added Before you start and After this sections that link to other AI Blocks steps."
  }
 ],
 "files": [
  "evals/evals.json",
  "LICENSE.md",
  "README.md",
  "references/api-overview-and-key-graph.md",
  "references/books-isbn-and-covers.md",
  "references/recipes-and-gotchas.md",
  "references/search-api-guide.md",
  "scripts/openlibrary",
  "scripts/test_openlibrary.py"
 ],
 "links": {
  "page": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/open-library-book-and-edition-finder",
  "markdown": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/open-library-book-and-edition-finder.md",
  "json": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/open-library-book-and-edition-finder.json",
  "instructions": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/open-library-book-and-edition-finder/SKILL.md",
  "download": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/open-library-book-and-edition-finder.zip",
  "api_item": "https://useaiblocks.com/api/v1/items/open-library-book-and-edition-finder",
  "api_document": "https://useaiblocks.com/api/v1/documents/skill/open-library-book-and-edition-finder",
  "mcp": "https://useaiblocks.com/mcp"
 }
}