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.

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.

Features

Multi-Source Support: Search and download papers from arXiv, PubMed, bioRxiv, and Sci-Hub (optional).
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.

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:

Install Package:
```
uv add paper-search-mcp
```
Configure Claude Desktop: Add this configuration to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Mac) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):
```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paper_search_server": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--directory",
        "/path/to/your/paper-search-mcp",
        "-m",
        "paper_search_mcp.server"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```
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:

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

Install Dependencies:

# Install project in editable mode
uv add -e .

# Add development dependencies (optional)
uv add pytest flake8

Contributing

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

Fork the Repository: Click "Fork" on GitHub.

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)

Make Changes:
- Add new platforms in academic_platforms/.
- Update tests in tests/.
Submit a Pull Request: Push changes and create a PR on GitHub.

Demo

TODO

Planned Academic Platforms

License

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

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