source-library — Claude Code MCP server
Search rare pre-modern books, read AI English translations, cite exact pages, and find related images from an MCP-connected library.
claude mcp add source-library -- npx -y @source-library/mcp-serverWhat source-library does
source-library gives an agent access to more than 22,000 rare pre-modern texts covering alchemy, Hermetica, Kabbalah, theology, and early science. It supports full-text and semantic passage search, book reading, metadata lookup, and AI-generated English translations.
The server includes 12 tools for discovering books, searching within a volume, retrieving exact page quotations, checking duplicates, sending feedback, and finding images. The collection contains 73K+ images. A quotation response includes the translated page, OCR, page details, and a source link.
Setup runs through npx, and no API key is required. The MCP server can be connected to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, and Gemini CLI.
What it helps with
- search historical books for a specific topic
- find related passages when wording differs
- read a volume chapter by chapter
- retrieve a page-accurate quotation with its source
- locate illustrations matching a subject
Example prompts for the agent
- Search the library for early texts about alchemical symbolism and return page links.
- Find passages conceptually related to distributed cognition in pre-modern books.
- Read this book by chapter and provide an exact quotation with its citation.
How to install source-library
Platform CLI
claude mcp add source-library -- npx -y @source-library/mcp-serverPlatform CLI
codex mcp add mcp-server -- npx -y @source-library/mcp-serverConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@source-library/mcp-server"
]
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@source-library/mcp-server"
]
}
}
}Platform CLI
gemini mcp add mcp-server npx -y @source-library/mcp-serverStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about source-library
How do I install source-library in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add source-library -- npx -y @source-library/mcp-server.
What does source-library do?
It lets an MCP-connected agent search and read 22,000+ rare texts, explore literal or semantic matches, and retrieve translations, quotations, and images.
Does source-library require an API key?
No. The server starts through npx without an API key.
