Understanding API Responses

The format of the response from the JSON/YAML API for loc.gov

A response is the data returned from a request to the loc.gov API in the specified representation (JSON/YAML). Because the API also provides data for the loc.gov website, some of its data elements (e.g. breadcrumbs, views) are specifically for that purpose. This page focuses on the sections of JSON responses that are most useful for working with digital collections information, those from search result endpoints, item endpoints, and resource endpoints.


/search/?q={query terms}
/{format}/
/collections/
/collections/{collection name}/
/item/{item_id}/
/resource/{resource_id}/

JSON Response Objects

Each of the endpoint types has a distinct response format, but they can be broadly grouped into two categories:

responses to queries for a list of items, or Search Results Responses and
responses to queries for a single item, or Item and Resource Responses