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Works with

Claude CodeClaude DesktopCursorVS CodeClineCodex CLIOpenClaw+ any MCP client

Install to Claude Code

This server doesn't publish a one-line install command. Follow the setup in the source repository.

Summary

Search and download academic papers from arXiv, PubMed, bioRxiv, medRxiv, Google Scholar, Semantic…

README.md

Paper Search MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for searching and downloading academic papers from multiple sources, including arXiv, PubMed, bioRxiv, and Sci-Hub (optional). Designed for seamless integration with large language models like Claude Desktop.

!PyPI !License !Python ![smithery badge](https://smithery.ai/server/@openags/paper-search-mcp)

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Table of Contents

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Overview

paper-search-mcp is a Python-based MCP server that enables users to search and download academic papers from various platforms. It provides tools for searching papers (e.g., search_arxiv) and downloading PDFs (e.g., download_arxiv), making it ideal for researchers and AI-driven workflows. Built with the MCP Python SDK, it integrates seamlessly with LLM clients like Claude Desktop.

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Features

  • Multi-Source Support: Search and download papers from arXiv, PubMed, bioRxiv, medRxiv, Google Scholar, IACR ePrint Archive, Semantic Scholar.
  • Deep Research Ready: Provides the standardized search and fetch tools required by OpenAI Deep Research and ChatGPT connectors.
  • Standardized Output: Papers are returned in a consistent dictionary format via the Paper class.
  • Asynchronous Tools: Efficiently handles network requests using httpx.
  • MCP Integration: Compatible with MCP clients for LLM context enhancement.
  • Extensible Design: Easily add new academic platforms by extending the academic_platforms module.

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Installation

paper-search-mcp can be installed using uv or pip. Below are two approaches: a quick start for immediate use and a detailed setup for development.

Installing via Smithery

To install paper-search-mcp for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @openags/paper-search-mcp --client claude

Quick Start

For users who want to quickly run the server:

  1. Install Package:
   uv add paper-search-mcp
  1. Configure Claude Desktop:

Add this configuration to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Mac) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows): ``json { "mcpServers": { "paper_search_server": { "command": "uv", "args": [ "run", "--directory", "/path/to/your/paper-search-mcp", "-m", "paper_search_mcp.server" ], "env": { "SEMANTIC_SCHOLAR_API_KEY": "" // Optional: For enhanced Semantic Scholar features } } } } ` > Note: Replace /path/to/your/paper-search-mcp` with your actual installation path.

For Development

For developers who want to modify the code or contribute:

  1. Setup Environment:
   # Install uv if not installed
   curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

   # Clone repository
   git clone https://github.com/openags/paper-search-mcp.git
   cd paper-search-mcp

   # Create and activate virtual environment
   uv venv
   source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
  1. Install Dependencies:
   # Install project in editable mode
   uv add -e .

   # Add development dependencies (optional)
   uv add pytest flake8

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Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how to get started:

  1. Fork the Repository:

Click "Fork" on GitHub.

  1. Clone and Set Up:
   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/paper-search-mcp.git
   cd paper-search-mcp
   pip install -e ".[dev]"  # Install dev dependencies (if added to pyproject.toml)
  1. Make Changes:
  • Add new platforms in academic_platforms/.
  • Update tests in tests/.
  1. Submit a Pull Request:

Push changes and create a PR on GitHub.

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Demo

<img src="docs\images\demo.png" alt="Demo" width="800">

TODO

Planned Academic Platforms

  • [√] arXiv
  • [√] PubMed
  • [√] bioRxiv
  • [√] medRxiv
  • [√] Google Scholar
  • [√] IACR ePrint Archive
  • [√] Semantic Scholar
  • [ ] PubMed Central (PMC)
  • [ ] Science Direct
  • [ ] Springer Link
  • [ ] IEEE Xplore
  • [ ] ACM Digital Library
  • [ ] Web of Science
  • [ ] Scopus
  • [ ] JSTOR
  • [ ] ResearchGate
  • [ ] CORE
  • [ ] Microsoft Academic

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Happy researching with paper-search-mcp! If you encounter issues, open a GitHub issue.

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