Search Link API

Overview

The viaLibri search link API allows you to construct URLs that will start searches on viaLibri.

Restrictions

In order to use these links users must be logged in to viaLibri. Anyone who is not logged in will be shown a screen prompting them to log in or register. Once they’ve either logged in or registered they will then continue to the search results.

This API is not to be used to perform automated searches, and we will block access to anyone that does so. If we find that this API is being abused, then we may also introduce a fair use limit of 100 – 200 searches per user per day.

URL Structure

The URL to use is https://www.vialibri.net/searches with the search parameters given on the query string. For example: https://www.vialibri.net/searches?author=voltaire&source=BookDB%20v2. This page will then perform the search and load the results.

Parameters

The following parameters can be provided in the request. Only the source parameter is required, but you must also include at least one of author, title, publisher and all_text.

In most cases query values that are invalid will be ignored and the search will be executed without them.

  • source, string – Required. A string that describes the program that generated the link, e.g. “Homebase v2.3”.
  • author, string – Author search string.
  • title, string – Title search string.
  • publisher, string – Publisher search string.
  • all_text, string – Search string compared to all text fields. If you’re searching for a particular ISBN then place it in this field.
  • year_min, int – Starting year for publication date range.
  • year_max, int – Ending year for publication date range.
  • price_min, int – Minimum price (inclusive). All prices are handled in integer numbers of cents/pence, so $5.43 would be 543.
  • price_max, int – Maximum price (inclusive). All prices are handled in integer numbers of cents/pence, so $5.43 would be 543.
  • currency, string – Three letter ISO 4217 currency code. See below for a list of supported currencies. Defaults to the user’s preferred currency if no value is given.
  • sort_by, string – The value to sort results by. Must be either price, year, author, title or dealer_name. The default is year.
  • sort_order, string – The direction to sort results. Must be either asc (ascending) or desc (descending). The default is asc.

This is only a subset of the search parameters available by searching directly on viaLibri. If you need access to other parameters then please get in touch with us.

Supported currencies

  • AUD
  • CAD
  • CHF
  • DKK
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • NOK
  • NZD
  • SEK
  • USD
  • ZAR