Connect an assistant

Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code and other MCP clients can use the library on your behalf. The server address:

https://mcp.community-distributed-library.com/mcp

Claude (web and desktop)

Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector.
Paste the URL: https://mcp.community-distributed-library.com/mcp
Claude sends you to a consent screen here on the site. Pick the permissions and allow.

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport http library https://mcp.community-distributed-library.com/mcp

First use: /mcp → library → Authenticate. A browser opens the consent screen.

ChatGPT

Settings → Connectors → Create (needs Developer mode).
Server URL: https://mcp.community-distributed-library.com/mcp, authentication: OAuth.

Cursor and other editors

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "library": {
      "url": "https://mcp.community-distributed-library.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Add to mcp.json. Editors that support OAuth open the consent screen on their own.

What an assistant can do for you

Search the catalogue and see what is available near you
List your own books, cover photo included
Request a book, answer requests, message on a loan
Send a gentle reminder (once a day)

What it cannot do

Mark a handoff or a return — that is done by hand
Steward actions
See other members' addresses or emails

Every connection is listed on your profile, where you can disconnect it.

REST API

Anything the site does, a script can do. Same routes, same permissions, JSON in and out.

https://community-distributed-library.com/api/v1 · OpenAPI document

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" "https://community-distributed-library.com/api/v1/search?q=oz"

Personal token

For your own scripts. Choose what it may do; it is shown once and expires in a year.

Webhooks

Get a signed POST when something happens: a copy listed, a loan accepted, a handoff confirmed. Delivered at least once, retried for a day, then dropped.

POST <your url>
x-cdl-event: loan.accepted
x-cdl-delivery: <event id>
x-cdl-signature: t=<unix seconds>,v1=<hex HMAC-SHA256(secret, t + "." + body)>

{"id":"…","kind":"loan.accepted","data":{"loanId":"…","copyId":"…"},"createdAt":…}

Missed some? https://community-distributed-library.com/api/v1/events?since=<event id> replays events after a given id.