About Libris

Libris is the shared catalog and discovery service of Swedish libraries. Here you can explore over nine million works from more than 600 libraries in Sweden. The National Library of Sweden (KB) is responsible for coordinating and developing Libris, as well as operating Libris’ technical data platform.

Libris is built on collaboration between more than 600 Swedish libraries that collectively contribute to and develop the catalog. On the page The Libris collaboration you can read about how it works.

What can I do at libris.kb.se?

In Libris, you can search for content from Swedish libraries and see where it is available, both for physical loan and digital access. You can perform simple free-text searches, use filters, or build more advanced queries. See search help for tips on how to find or explore. You can also add favorite libraries to easily find materials limited to those.

Catalog contents

Libris contains approximately seven million physical titles and about 3.6 million digital titles in over 80 languages. Of the digital resources, around 1.5 million titles are freely accessible. The collections include many types of material, such as books, music, video games, and braille, among others. The catalog also includes the Swedish national bibliography, subject bibliographies, as well as local and regional collections.

Linked data

Libris contains information about works, people, subjects, organizations, and more. A growing part of the catalog is structured as linked data. More information on how KB publishes and makes this data available can be found at id.kb.se.

Not all material in Libris contains linked data yet, but its presence is greater in language data, Swedish subject headings, and Swedish fiction.

Special collections

Libris contains the Swedish national bibliography, a selection of bibliographies in various subject areas, and local/regional collections. All bibliographies are produced by Libris libraries and can be filtered as special collections.

Variation in content

The catalog has been built over more than 50 years, which means there is variation in the content and differences in the quality of descriptions. Libris is extensive but not comprehensive. Some materials still exist only in old card catalogs, local catalogs, or other systems.

Historical language

As a user, it is also important to be aware that library collections and the search service contain older terms and other content that may be perceived as offensive, as well as discriminatory or outdated.

Expressions that reflect the attitudes of their creators at the time may evoke strong reactions today, but are necessary for our understanding of the past and the present.

Use of data

Libris contains both data from external sources and data produced within the Libris collaboration. Through Libris APIs you can integrate Libris data into your own systems. Libris as a data platform includes a number of publicly available APIs. Most of these APIs provide read access to open, publicly available data. Some APIs also provide write access and therefore require authentication and an agreement with KB for use. The Swedish national bibliography and Swedish authority records are freely available.

Accessibility

Our goal is that everyone should be able to be inspired to explore Sweden’s library collections, gain an overview of their materials, and access them. Read more in Libris Search’s accessibility statement.

Privacy and system requirements

The search service uses optional cookies for functionality and analytics. In some cases, JavaScript may be required, for example when overload protection is enabled.

Copyright

Images in Libris, such as book covers, may be protected by copyright and may not be used without permission. However, some images are free to use; as a user, you are responsible for verifying what applies.

Further information and contact

For more information, see questions and answers, follow Libris news and Libris development.

You are always welcome to contact us! Write to Libris customer service.

For purchase suggestions or interlibrary loans, contact your local library.