NLI AI Search
GitHub

National Library of Israel Search MCP

AI-powered bridge for exploring millions of cultural, historical, and literary assets.

Get Started

Why Use This?

The lsraeli National Library holds rare newspapers, original manuscripts, archival photos, and journals with no digital equivalents - but most people have no easy access to them.
I decided to take action and make it simple and fast for everyone to explore.
So if you students writing essays and theses, Academic researchers seeking primary sources, Historians & archivists exploring rare collections or simply curious people

this is the tool for you.

What You Can Discover

Historical Documents

Ancient manuscripts, government records, and personal archives.

Literary Works

Books, poetry, and writings in multiple languages.

Visual Materials

Photographs, maps, illustrations, and artwork.

Audio Collections

Music recordings, speeches, and oral histories.

Cultural Artifacts

Items representing Jewish heritage and Israeli culture.

Academic Resources

Research materials and scholarly publications.

⚡Getting Started

1. Install Claude Desktop

First, install Claude Desktop (≥ 2.0):

2. Download or Clone

Option A: Download the packaged release

↓ Download for Windows ↓ Download for Linux
  • Unzip the downloaded file.
  • To install - double-click on the file:
    • install_mcp_server.bat (for Windows)
    • install_mcp_server.bash (for Linux)

Option B: Clone manually

git clone https://github.com/mula2812/NLI_AI_Search.git
cd nli_mcp

Ensure Python ≥ 3.10

Windows:

winget install Python.Python.3

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3.10 python3.10-venv python3.10-distutils -y

Optionally set as default:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.10 1
sudo update-alternatives --config python3

Install Requirements

pip install -r requirements.txt

Run the Installer

Windows

.\install_mcp_server.bat

Linux

chmod +x install_mcp_server.bash
./install_mcp_server.bash

3. Launch Claude Desktop

   

  • Restart Claude Desktop.
    •    
  • After clicking the "Search and Tools" button in the search bar, you should now see a tool named: nli_mcp

    • If visible, you're ready to go!

    How To Use 💡

    Once installed:

    • →

      Open Claude Desktop.

    • →

      Ask any question involving books, authors, subjects, images, or topics.

    • →

      For example:

        Books by Bialik published after 1920.

    You'll get:

    • ✓

      Search results

    • ✓

      Metadata

    • ✓

      Links to items

    • ✓

      Images or thumbnails

    • ✓

      In some cases, streaming content or IIIF resources

    Troubleshooting & FAQ ⚙️

    Plugin not appearing?

    • -

      Ensure Claude Desktop is ≥ v2.0 and you restarted after install.

    • -

      Ensure that the installation package or project is located only in a path that contains English characters.

    MCP isn't responding. What should I do?

    • -

      Make sure you installed it correctly. You should see in search and tools the "nli_mcp" addition.

    • -

      Ensure you enable all the "nli_mcp" inside options (from the search and tools options).

    • -

      Check your internet connection and firewall settings.

    • -

      Review the logs for any error messages.

    Invalid API key error?

    As a default visitor key is installed to your computer using the bat or bash file, which allows basic access to the library data.

    • -

      Double-check the NLI_API_KEY environment variable, to ensure it installed correctly.

    • -

      Another option is to create your own free key: Obtaining a personal API key is not essential for the project's initial function, as mentioned. However, if you want to get full access to all the data and capabilities the National Library offers, it is highly recommended to register and get your own API key.

      • Visit the National Library of Israel's Open Library API documentation Open Library API (click).
      • Follow the instructions to register and get your API key. You may need to contact the National Library for access.

    Contributing 🤝

    I warmly welcome contributions to improve this project. To contribute, please follow these simple steps:

    1

    Fork the Repository

    Create your own copy of the project on your GitHub account.

    2

    Make Your Changes

    Work on your improvements in a new branch, bringing your ideas to life.

    3

    Submit a Pull Request

    Share your work with a clear description for review and merging.

    I look forward to seeing your inventions and updates!