Northwestern University Libraries Digital Collections API

Name: Northwestern University Libraries Digital Collections API
Author: nulib

by nulibversion 2.12.0i★ –iComputer or cloud

Registry nameio.github.nulib/dc-api

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

Agent integration with the Northwestern University Libraries Digital Collections API

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiNot measured yet★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Computer or cloud
Transport: stdio, Streamable HTTP
Category: Other

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
Runs on the maker’s server: what you ask it goes through their server.
The registry lists no key to fill in.

You need

Runs in the cloudNothing to install; it connects over the internet
npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Works in Claude on the web, desktop and mobile:

Open Settings → Connectors
Press Add custom connector
Paste the address below and press Add
If it asks you to sign in, sign in with the maker

https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp

Or run it on your computer

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dc-api": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@nulib/dc-api-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add --transport http dc-api https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp

Or run it on your computer

claude mcp add dc-api -- npx -y @nulib/dc-api-mcp

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dc-api": {
      "url": "https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Or run it on your computer

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dc-api": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@nulib/dc-api-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "dc-api": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Or run it on your computer

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "dc-api": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@nulib/dc-api-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

ChatGPT connects only to servers on the internet:

Open ChatGPT on the web → Settings → Connectors (Apps)
Press Create or Add (some plans need Developer mode under Advanced first)
Paste the address below, give it a name and save
If it asks you to sign in, sign in with the maker

https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp

Menu names can differ slightly by plan and over time.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

We have not read this server’s tool list yet; we check endpoints in rotation.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 6, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account nulib, which owns the repo
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Endpoint responds
Not checked yet; we check endpoints in rotation
… Not checked yet
Sign-in with OAuth
Not checked yet; we check endpoints in rotation
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Not checked yet; we read the tool list when we check the endpoint

Compared with others in Otheri

More stars than 0% of the other 32410 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 81% of the other 32410 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 32410 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is Northwestern University Libraries Digital Collections API safe?

It passed 1 of 1 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

Either way works: install it on your computer or connect to the cloud version.

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (2.12.0) reached the registry 8 days ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. It connects by URL, so apps that accept remote MCP servers work too, such as ChatGPT in developer mode.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Spec Driven Development, Remote Desktop Commander, debuff

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README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

dc-api-mcp

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes Northwestern University Library's Digital Collections as tools for AI assistants. It provides tools for searching, browsing, and retrieving metadata and IIIF manifests for digitized library materials.

Available Tools

Tool	Description
`search`	Search for works using field-based and/or natural language queries
`similarity-search`	Find works visually or semantically similar to a given work
`get-work`	Retrieve full metadata for a single work by ID
`view-work`	View a work's IIIF manifest for display in compatible viewers
`list-collections`	List available digital collections
`view-collection`	Browse a specific collection's IIIF manifest
`view-search-results`	Retrieve results from a previous search
`view-similar-works`	Retrieve results from a previous similarity search

Using the Remote Endpoint

The server is available as a hosted remote at:

https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp

No local installation is required. Configure your MCP client to connect to this URL using the streamable HTTP transport.

Claude Desktop

Add the following to your Claude Desktop configuration file.

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

"mcpServers": { "dc-api": { "type": "http", "url": "https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp" } } }

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport http dc-api https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/mcp

Development

Requirements

Node.js 24+ (see .tool-versions)
mise (used by bin/run.sh to activate the correct runtime)

Setup

npm install

Configuration

The server reads the following environment variables:

Variable	Default	Description
`DC_API_BASE`	`https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2`	Base URL for the Digital Collections API
`DC_IIIF_BASE`	`https://iiif.dc.library.northwestern.edu/iiif/3`	Base URL for the IIIF server
`SECRETS_PATH`	_(none)_	Base path for AWS Secrets Manager config

Running locally

stdio (for Claude Desktop / Claude Code)

bun run stdio

Or via the wrapper script (activates the correct Node.js version via mise):

bin/run.sh

HTTP (Streamable HTTP transport, port 3000)

bun run http

Configuring Claude Desktop (local build)

"mcpServers": { "dc-api": { "command": "/path/to/dc-api-v2/mcp/bin/run.sh" } } }

Replace /path/to/dc-api-v2/mcp with the absolute path to this directory. Restart Claude Desktop after editing.

Tests

Command	Result
`bun run test`	Run the test suite
`bun test:watch`	Run the test suite, watching for changes
`bun test:coverage`	Run the test suite and calculate coverage
`bun test:record`	Run the test suite against live data and record new fixtures

By default, the test suite uses pre-recorded HTTP fixtures. Set MSW_MODE=live to run against live data.
bun test:record records new fixtures (requires mitmproxy: pip install mitmproxy).

Northwestern University Libraries Digital Collections API

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

Or run it on your computer

Or run it on your computer

Or run it on your computer

Or run it on your computer

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Otheri

Common questions

Alternatives

Spec Driven Development

Remote Desktop Commander

debuff

README from the maker

dc-api-mcp

Available Tools

Using the Remote Endpoint

Claude Desktop

Claude Code

Development

Requirements

Setup

Configuration

Running locally

stdio (for Claude Desktop / Claude Code)

HTTP (Streamable HTTP transport, port 3000)

Configuring Claude Desktop (local build)

Tests