WorldCat

aid: worldcat
name: WorldCat
description: >-
  OCLC WorldCat REST API for searching 500 million+ library holdings worldwide,
  accessing bibliographic records, finding library locations, and retrieving
  rich metadata for books, videos, music, and other media. Provides access to
  the WorldCat Search API, WorldCat Metadata API, WorldCat Knowledge Base API,
  and WorldCat Entities data API for libraries and developers building discovery
  and cataloging applications.
image: https://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/worldcat/refs/heads/main/apis.yml
created: "2026-06-13"
modified: "2026-06-13"
specificationVersion: "0.19"
tags:
  - Libraries
  - Bibliographic Records
  - WorldCat
  - OCLC
  - Cataloging
  - Metadata
  - Discovery
  - Books
  - Media
  - Linked Data
apis:
  - aid: worldcat:worldcat-search-api
    name: WorldCat Search API
    description: >-
      Search WorldCat and retrieve bibliographic records for cataloged items
      such as books, videos, music and more across 500 million+ holdings.
      Supports retrieval by OCLC number, ISBN, ISSN, and other identifiers.
      Also enables finding libraries holding specific items and identifying
      libraries committed to retention programs.
    image: https://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
    humanURL: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-search-api.en.html
    baseURL: https://americas.discovery.api.oclc.org/worldcat/search/v2
    tags:
      - Search
      - Bibliographic Records
      - WorldCat
      - OCLC
      - Libraries
      - Holdings
    properties:
      - type: Documentation
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-search-api.en.html
      - type: OpenAPI
        url: https://developer.api.oclc.org/wcv2
    contact:
      - FN: OCLC Developer Network
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api.en.html
        email: [email protected]

  - aid: worldcat:worldcat-metadata-api
    name: WorldCat Metadata API
    description: >-
      Enables libraries to search, retrieve and maintain their bibliographic,
      local bibliographic, holdings, and local holdings data in WorldCat.
      Supports synchronizing local catalog data, discovering shared print
      retention information, and enhancing metadata quality across the network.
    image: https://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
    humanURL: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-metadata-api.en.html
    baseURL: https://metadata.api.oclc.org/worldcat
    tags:
      - Metadata
      - Cataloging
      - Holdings
      - Bibliographic Records
      - Libraries
    properties:
      - type: Documentation
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-metadata-api.en.html
      - type: OpenAPI
        url: https://developer.api.oclc.org/wc-metadata-v2
    contact:
      - FN: OCLC Developer Network
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api.en.html
        email: [email protected]

  - aid: worldcat:worldcat-knowledge-base-api
    name: WorldCat Knowledge Base API
    description: >-
      Provides developer-level access to a library's information in the WorldCat
      Knowledge Base, combining data about a library's e-content with access
      through linking features. Supports OpenURL requests for matching citations
      and retrieving access links, and REST requests for browsing and searching
      library subscription resources.
    image: https://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
    humanURL: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-knowledge-base-api.en.html
    baseURL: https://worldcat.org/webservices/kb
    tags:
      - Knowledge Base
      - E-resources
      - OpenURL
      - Libraries
      - Subscriptions
    properties:
      - type: Documentation
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-knowledge-base-api.en.html
    contact:
      - FN: OCLC Developer Network
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api.en.html
        email: [email protected]

  - aid: worldcat:worldcat-entities-data-api
    name: WorldCat Entities Data API
    description: >-
      Retrieve a set of properties and data for over 150 million WorldCat
      Entities using associated uniform resource identifiers (URIs). Supports
      linked data integration for local discovery applications, research and
      analysis, and monitoring updates to WorldCat Entities data.
    image: https://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
    humanURL: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-entities-data.en.html
    baseURL: https://id.oclc.org/worldcat/entity
    tags:
      - Entities
      - Linked Data
      - WorldCat
      - Libraries
      - Research
    properties:
      - type: Documentation
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis/worldcat-entities-data.en.html
      - type: OpenAPI
        url: https://developer.api.oclc.org/entity-data
    contact:
      - FN: OCLC Developer Network
        url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api.en.html
        email: [email protected]

common:
  - type: Website
    url: https://www.worldcat.org/
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/api/oclc-apis.en.html
  - type: GitHubOrg
    url: https://github.com/OCLC-Developer-Network
  - type: LinkedIn
    url: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oclc
  - type: Blog
    url: https://www.oclc.org/developer/news.en.html
  - type: Pricing
    url: https://www.oclc.org/en/membership/fees.html
  - type: StatusPage
    url: https://oclc.service-now.com/status
  - type: X
    url: https://x.com/oclcdevnetwork
  - type: Plans
    url: plans/worldcat-plans-pricing.yml
  - type: RateLimits
    url: rate-limits/worldcat-rate-limits.yml
  - type: FinOps
    url: finops/worldcat-finops.yml

maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: [email protected]