WorldCat Search Bibliographic Resources API is one of 20 APIs that WorldCat publishes on the APIs.io network, described by a machine-readable OpenAPI specification.
Tagged areas include Search Bibliographic Resources. The published artifact set on APIs.io includes an OpenAPI specification and API documentation.
This API exposes
4 operations
across 4 paths,
and defines 56 schemas.
It is described by OpenAPI 3.2.0, at version 2.0.0.
Requests are made against a single base URL, https://metadata.api.oclc.org.
4 operations4 paths56 schemas4 GET
Metadata
The identity and technical contract details declared by the specification.
WorldCat Search Bibliographic Resources API declares
1 security scheme
for authenticating requests.
It supports OAuth 2.0 (worldcat_metadata_auth) using the clientCredentials and authorizationCode flows, exposing 15 scopes.
By default, every request must be authenticated.
Paths & Operations 4
Across 4 paths, the API surfaces 4 operations — 4 GET. Each is listed below with its method, path, parameters, and response codes.
Retrieve classification reccomendations for an oclcNumber
get-classifications2 params→ 200400404405406500
Schemas 56
The contract defines 56 schemas that model the data the API accepts and returns. The most detailed are HoldingBrief (14 properties), HoldingPart (14 properties), BibRecordBrief (14 properties), HoldingDetail (13 properties). Each schema is shown below with its type and property counts.
BibClassifications
object
2 properties
HoldingDetail
object
13 properties7 required
GeneralFormat
string
General Format Type [Admin/OCLCDef/StdRT]
SubFacetValue
object
2 properties
CatalogingLanguage
string
Language record was cataloged in [v040sb]
RegistryId
integer
The identifier in the WorldCat Registry for the institution
HoldingLocation
object
Local holding location [LHR - v852sa,b,c]
3 properties
SharedPrintCommitment
object
11 properties
ItemType
string
Filter values for General Format
HoldingBrief
object
14 properties
InstitutionHolding
object
3 properties
Address
object
8 properties
SubFacet
object
3 properties
TextualHoldingsStatement
string
[866-8 |a]
ItemLanguage
string
Language of the item [v041sa,j]
CreatorString
string
List of creators as single string
SummaryOfHoldings
string
Summary of Holdings [https://www.loc.gov/marc/holdings/echdcntf.html]
International Standard Serial Number [v022sal v700,v710,v711,v773,v776,v777,v780,v785 - sx]
HasSharedPrintCommitment
string
institution has shared print commitment [Holdings/LibHasSharedPrint || LHR - HldDetRec/Admin/SPReg]
BibRecordBrief
object
14 properties7 required
ShelvingLocation
string
Shelving location [LHR - v852sc]
Date
string
machine readable date 008
SpecificFormat
string
Specific Format Type [Admin/OCLCDef/StdRT2]
MaterialSpecified
string
[876-8 |3]
Country
string
Two-character Country Code, per ISO 3166.
detailedHoldings
array
Isbns
array
International Standard Book Number [v020sa]
CaptionValuePair
object
The caption and value pair for a caption describing a numeric, alphabetic, and/or date designation for an item. The caption is defined as an attribute on the e…
2 properties
InstitutionType
string
The type of institution
ProblemType
string
A URI reference [RFC3986] that identifies the problem type.
Latitude
number
Latitude
TemporaryLocation
string
Temporary location [876-878 |l]
OCLCSymbol
string
institution OCLC Symbol. Special characters need to be encoded properly.
Issns
array
International Standard Serial Numbers
EditionStatement
string
Edition Statement [v250sa]
MergedOclcNumbers
array
Merged OCLC numbers [v019sa]
DisplayCallNumber
string
Display call Number [LHR - v852 |k,h,i,m / |j/ |l]
Longitude
number
Longitude
SublocationCollection
string
Sublocation or collection [LHR - v852sb]
BibBriefResultSet
object
3 properties
ItemSubType
string
Facet values returned and possible filter Values itemSubType [Admin/OCLCDef/StdRT1 + Admin/OCLCDef/StdRT2]
briefHoldings
array
State
string
Name of the State/Province, per ISO 3166-2.
SearchFacet
object
3 properties
PostalCode
string
Postal Code
Problem
object
RFC 7807 description of an error.
5 properties
TotalEditions
integer
Total number of editions in the workgroup
Unit
string
The unit of measure is either (M) for miles or (K) for kilometers
Specification
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