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 3.0.2, at version 1.0.6.
Requests are made against a single base URL, https://id.oclc.org/worldcat.
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 (entity_data_auth) using the clientCredentials and authorizationCode flows, exposing 2 scopes.
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), BibRecordBrief (14 properties), HoldingPart (14 properties), HoldingDetail (13 properties). Each schema is shown below with its type and property counts.
PostalCode
string
Postal Code
Unit
string
The unit of measure is either (M) for miles or (K) for kilometers
institution has shared print commitment [Holdings/LibHasSharedPrint || LHR - HldDetRec/Admin/SPReg]
Issn
string
International Standard Serial Number [v022sal v700,v710,v711,v773,v776,v777,v780,v785 - sx]
ItemLanguage
string
Language of the item [v041sa,j]
Latitude
number
Latitude
HoldingRange
object
2 properties
EditionStatement
string
Edition Statement [v250sa]
ShelvingLocation
string
Shelving location [LHR - v852sc]
BibClassifications
object
2 properties
SharedPrintCommitment
object
11 properties
DisplayCallNumber
string
Display call Number [LHR - v852 |k,h,i,m / |j/ |l]
Longitude
number
Longitude
InstitutionHolding
object
3 properties
OclcNumber
integer
the oclc number of a given bibliographic record
GeneralFormat
string
General Format Type [Admin/OCLCDef/StdRT]
CallNumber
object
Local call number [LHR - v852sh,i,j,k,l,m]
9 properties
HoldingLocation
object
Local holding location [LHR - v852sa,b,c]
3 properties
SearchFacet
object
3 properties
CatalogingLanguage
string
Language record was cataloged in [v040sb]
detailedHoldings
array
SubFacet
object
3 properties
ProblemType
string
A URI reference [RFC3986] that identifies the problem type.
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
HoldingPart
object
14 properties
MergedOclcNumbers
array
Merged OCLC numbers [v019sa]
SublocationCollection
string
Sublocation or collection [LHR - v852sb]
CatalogingInfo
object
4 properties
Country
string
Two-character Country Code, per ISO 3166.
InstitutionType
string
The type of institution
Date
string
machine readable date 008
Isbns
array
International Standard Book Number [v020sa]
RegistryId
integer
The identifier in the WorldCat Registry for the institution
Issns
array
International Standard Serial Numbers
TextualHoldingsStatement
string
[866-8 |a]
MaterialSpecified
string
[876-8 |3]
CreatorString
string
List of creators as single string
HoldingDetail
object
13 properties7 required
Address
object
8 properties
OCLCSymbol
string
institution OCLC Symbol. Special characters need to be encoded properly.
SimpleTitle
string
Linked [v880sa,b] if present or [v245sa,b]
SummaryOfHoldings
string
Summary of Holdings [https://www.loc.gov/marc/holdings/echdcntf.html]
ItemSubType
string
Facet values returned and possible filter Values itemSubType [Admin/OCLCDef/StdRT1 + Admin/OCLCDef/StdRT2]
ItemType
string
Filter values for General Format
BibRecordBrief
object
14 properties7 required
FacetValue
object
4 properties
HoldingBrief
object
14 properties
TemporaryLocation
string
Temporary location [876-878 |l]
Specification
The full machine-readable OpenAPI contract behind this narrative.
