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-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/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-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/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: devnet@oclc.org
- 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-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/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: devnet@oclc.org
- 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-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/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: devnet@oclc.org
- 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-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/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: devnet@oclc.org
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: kin@apievangelist.com