Trove

About Trove

Trove is a search platform maintained by the National Library of Australia that provides an Application Programming Interface for building complex search queries and retrieving results in machine-readable form. The API, currently at version 3.0, is intended for developing applications, tools, and interfaces that draw on Trove's collections, and supports use cases such as linking search results to other websites, cross-referencing records with other institutions' holdings, and downloading metadata for analysis or research.

Access requires a Trove account and an API key, obtained by submitting a request form that asks for the applicant's intended use, required call rate, and agreement to the API Terms of Use. Applications are reviewed at different levels depending on the stated purpose: personal, educational, and research uses receive a lower level of review, while commercial use, full-text harvesting, and AI or machine learning applications require a higher level of review and may need an exemption to the standard Terms of Use or a data sharing agreement with the National Library of Australia.

The API is aimed at developers, researchers, and organizations such as libraries, cultural institutions, and government bodies. A technical guide is available to assist with building search queries once a key has been issued, and version 2.0 of the API was discontinued in September 2024.

Key features

• Build complex search queries and receive results in machine-readable form
• Tiered API key application process (Levels 1-4) based on use case and call rate
• Version 3.0 with an interactive interface for building search queries
• Access to People and Organisations data and bulk download options
• Custom call rate options for technical/high-volume needs

Frequently asked questions