--- type: "firecrawl-provider" description: "BFI Collections Search (collections-search.bfi.org.uk), the British Film Institute's public catalogue of the BFI National Archive and BFI Reuben Library (Axiell Internet Server): expert search of any of its 12 databases (film and television works, film/video items, books, serials, articles, press cuttings, scripts and documents, posters, stills, special collections, library, persons and institutions) with field conditions, sorting and paging; the full label/value record of a work, person, item or book with its cross-reference links and the related records of its hierarchy; the searchable fields and sort options of a database; and controlled-vocabulary term lookups (genre, subject, ...). Read-only; no selections, downloads or e-mail features." use_when: "BFI Collections Search (collections-search.bfi.org.uk), the British Film Institute's public catalogue of the BFI National Archive and BFI Reuben Library (Axiell Internet Server): expert search of any of its 12 databases (film and television works, film/video items, books, serials, articles, press cuttings, scripts and documents, posters, stills, special collections, library, persons and institutions) with field conditions, sorting and paging; the full label/value record of a work, person, item or book with its cross-reference links and the related records of its hierarchy; the searchable fields and sort options of a database; and controlled-vocabulary term lookups (genre, subject, ...). Read-only; no selections, downloads or e-mail features." categories: "Entertainment" capabilities: 4 credits_per_call: 5 --- # BFI Collections Search on Firecrawl Alexandria BFI Collections Search (collections-search.bfi.org.uk), the British Film Institute's public catalogue of the BFI National Archive and BFI Reuben Library (Axiell Internet Server): expert search of any of its 12 databases (film and television works, film/video items, books, serials, articles, press cuttings, scripts and documents, posters, stills, special collections, library, persons and institutions) with field conditions, sorting and paging; the full label/value record of a work, person, item or book with its cross-reference links and the related records of its hierarchy; the searchable fields and sort options of a database; and controlled-vocabulary term lookups (genre, subject, ...). Read-only; no selections, downloads or e-mail features. - Categories: Entertainment - Category index: [Entertainment category](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/categories/entertainment) - Provider key: `collections-search-bfi-org-uk` - Access: Firecrawl credits - Cost: 5 credits per call ## More - [Human guide](https://firecrawl.dev/app/alexandria/collections-search-bfi-org-uk) - [OpenAPI spec](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/openapi.json) ## Capabilities - [Get record](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/get_record): One catalogue record by database and priref (GET /web/Details/{database}/{priref}): every label/value row of the site's detail display with the value's text lines and links (field-search cross-references such as cast and credit prirefs, genre and subject term ids, linked items by object number, linked books and articles by priref; external links such as EIDR), the record's title, and the related records of its hierarchy display (film works list their film/video items with object number, format and status). Film works, persons/institutions, film items and books were verified; the other databases share the same page template. - [List search fields](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/list_search_fields): The expert-search field list of one database (GET /web/search/getexpertsearchfields?sourcename={database}): field names and labels usable in `search_records` conditions, the sort fields and the page sizes the form offers. - [Lookup terms](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/lookup_terms): Controlled-vocabulary browse for a search field (GET /web/helper/GetLookupValues): the site's lookup popup for fields such as Field_Genre or Field_SubjectMuseum returns the vocabulary terms from the alphabetical position of `term` onwards (one window of up to 32 terms) with the total count. Terms are exact values for `search_records` conditions with truncation off. - [Search records](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/search_records): Expert search of one BFI Collections Search database (POST /web/search/expert): one to five field conditions (field name from `list_search_fields`, value, right-truncation on by default, and/or/and-not connective), an optional sort field and direction, 10 to 250 records per page and a page number. Returns the result count, the page navigator and the brief rows of the requested page: priref, detail URL, title and the summary lines the site renders (credits, dates, country, work type, 'Part of:' series; activity type for persons) plus the collection badges (Film / Video material, Books, Articles, ...). Page 1 comes from the search POST; later pages re-run the search and read /web/results/{page} in the same session. ## 1. Choose this provider when BFI Collections Search (collections-search.bfi.org.uk), the British Film Institute's public catalogue of the BFI National Archive and BFI Reuben Library (Axiell Internet Server): expert search of any of its 12 databases (film and television works, film/video items, books, serials, articles, press cuttings, scripts and documents, posters, stills, special collections, library, persons and institutions) with field conditions, sorting and paging; the full label/value record of a work, person, item or book with its cross-reference links and the related records of its hierarchy; the searchable fields and sort options of a database; and controlled-vocabulary term lookups (genre, subject, ...). Read-only; no selections, downloads or e-mail features. ## 2. Minimal request Call `POST https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape` with `{ alexandria: { provider, capability, options } }`. For a batch, send `{ alexandria: [...] }` with up to 10 calls. ```json { "provider": "collections-search-bfi-org-uk", "capability": "records/get_record", "options": { "database": "People", "priref": "222439" } } ``` ## 3. Add provider options Use only the options needed for the task: - `database` (string): Database of the record. Required unless `priref` is a full /web/Details/{database}/{priref} URL. Example: `ChoiceFilmWorks` - `priref` (string, required): Numeric record identifier (150019971) or a pasted record URL (https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150019971). Example: `` ## 4. Request through your preferred interface ### JavaScript ```javascript const result = await firecrawl.scrape({ alexandria: { provider: "collections-search-bfi-org-uk", capability: "records/get_record", options: { database: "People", priref: "222439", }, }, }); ``` ### Python ```python result = firecrawl.scrape_alexandria({ "provider": "collections-search-bfi-org-uk", "capability": "records/get_record", "options": { "database": "People", "priref": "222439" } }) ``` ### cURL ```sh curl https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FIRECRAWL_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "alexandria": { "provider": "collections-search-bfi-org-uk", "capability": "records/get_record", "options": { "database": "People", "priref": "222439" } } }' ``` ### CLI ```sh firecrawl scrape 'collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/get_record' \ --options '{"database":"People","priref":"222439"}' ``` ### MCP Call the FCX MCP retrieve tool with this object: ```json { "provider": "collections-search-bfi-org-uk", "capability": "records/get_record", "options": { "database": "People", "priref": "222439" } } ``` Ask for only the returned fields needed by the task. ## 5. Full request shape ```json { "provider": "collections-search-bfi-org-uk", "capability": "records/get_record", "options": { "database": "People", "priref": "222439" } } ``` ## 6. Response data The response includes `success`, `provider`, `capability`, `creditsCost` and `data`. This example shows the provider payload in `data`: ```json { "database": "People", "fields": [ { "label": "Name", "lines": [ "Stanley Holloway (view filmography / view articles about person / view articles by person)" ], "links": [ { "database": "ChoiceFilmWorks", "field": "Field_Cast_Credit_Reference", "priref": null, "text": "view filmography", "url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/detail?database=ChoiceFilmWorks&fieldname=Field_Cast_Credit_Reference&value=222439", "value": "222439" }, { "database": "ChoiceArticles", "field": "Field_PersonKeyword_Reference", "priref": null, "text": "view articles about person", "url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/detail?database=ChoiceArticles&fieldname=Field_PersonKeyword_Reference&value=222439", "value": "222439" }, { "database": "ChoiceArticles", "field": "Field_AuthorName_Reference", "priref": null, "text": "view articles by person", "url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/detail?database=ChoiceArticles&fieldname=Field_AuthorName_Reference&value=222439", "value": "222439" } ], "value": "Stanley Holloway (view filmography / view articles about person / view articles by person)" }, { "label": "Name note", "lines": [ "Born Stanley Augustus Holloway. Son actor Julian Holloway." ], "links": [], "value": "Born Stanley Augustus Holloway. Son actor Julian Holloway." }, { "label": "Activity type", "lines": [ "Cast (person)", "Direction (person)", "Presentation (person)" ], "links": [], "value": "Cast (person)\nDirection (person)\nPresentation (person)" }, { "label": "Birth date", "lines": [ "1890-10-01" ], "links": [], "value": "1890-10-01" }, { "label": "Birth country", "lines": [ "England" ], "links": [], "value": "England" }, { "label": "Birth place", "lines": [ "Manor House, London" ], "links": [], "value": "Manor House, London" }, { "label": "Death date", "lines": [ "1982-01-30" ], "links": [], "value": "1982-01-30" }, { "label": "Death country", "lines": [ "England" ], "links": [], "value": "England" }, { "label": "Death place", "lines": [ "Littlehampton Sussex" ], "links": [], "value": "Littlehampton Sussex" }, { "label": "Nationality", "lines": [ "English" ], "links": [], "value": "English" }, { "label": "-other materials", "lines": [ "micro-jacket", "stills" ], "links": [], "value": "micro-jacket\nstills" }, { "label": "Stills", "lines": [ "black and white", "transparency" ], "links": [], "value": "black and white\ntransparency" } ], "observed_at_ms": 1791608410545, "priref": "222439", "related_records": [], "source_url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/People/222439", "title": "Stanley Holloway" } ``` ## API reference-derived contract The following capability contract is generated from the same normalized Alexandria API reference exposed in the API spec. ### Get record - Capability: `records/get_record` - Description: One catalogue record by database and priref (GET /web/Details/{database}/{priref}): every label/value row of the site's detail display with the value's text lines and links (field-search cross-references such as cast and credit prirefs, genre and subject term ids, linked items by object number, linked books and articles by priref; external links such as EIDR), the record's title, and the related records of its hierarchy display (film works list their film/video items with object number, format and status). Film works, persons/institutions, film items and books were verified; the other databases share the same page template. - Instructions: Read the full record behind a `search_records` row or a pasted /web/Details/{database}/{priref} URL. - Cost: 5 credits per call - Capability file: [Get record](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/get_record) Accepted options: - `database` (string): Database of the record. Required unless `priref` is a full /web/Details/{database}/{priref} URL. Example: `ChoiceFilmWorks` - `priref` (string, required): Numeric record identifier (150019971) or a pasted record URL (https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150019971). Example: `` Response schema example: ```json { "database": "People", "fields": [ { "label": "Name", "lines": [ "Stanley Holloway (view filmography / view articles about person / view articles by person)" ], "links": [ { "database": "ChoiceFilmWorks", "field": "Field_Cast_Credit_Reference", "priref": null, "text": "view filmography", "url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/detail?database=ChoiceFilmWorks&fieldname=Field_Cast_Credit_Reference&value=222439", "value": "222439" }, { "database": "ChoiceArticles", "field": "Field_PersonKeyword_Reference", "priref": null, "text": "view articles about person", "url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/detail?database=ChoiceArticles&fieldname=Field_PersonKeyword_Reference&value=222439", "value": "222439" }, { "database": "ChoiceArticles", "field": "Field_AuthorName_Reference", "priref": null, "text": "view articles by person", "url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/detail?database=ChoiceArticles&fieldname=Field_AuthorName_Reference&value=222439", "value": "222439" } ], "value": "Stanley Holloway (view filmography / view articles about person / view articles by person)" }, { "label": "Name note", "lines": [ "Born Stanley Augustus Holloway. Son actor Julian Holloway." ], "links": [], "value": "Born Stanley Augustus Holloway. Son actor Julian Holloway." }, { "label": "Activity type", "lines": [ "Cast (person)", "Direction (person)", "Presentation (person)" ], "links": [], "value": "Cast (person)\nDirection (person)\nPresentation (person)" }, { "label": "Birth date", "lines": [ "1890-10-01" ], "links": [], "value": "1890-10-01" }, { "label": "Birth country", "lines": [ "England" ], "links": [], "value": "England" }, { "label": "Birth place", "lines": [ "Manor House, London" ], "links": [], "value": "Manor House, London" }, { "label": "Death date", "lines": [ "1982-01-30" ], "links": [], "value": "1982-01-30" }, { "label": "Death country", "lines": [ "England" ], "links": [], "value": "England" }, { "label": "Death place", "lines": [ "Littlehampton Sussex" ], "links": [], "value": "Littlehampton Sussex" }, { "label": "Nationality", "lines": [ "English" ], "links": [], "value": "English" }, { "label": "-other materials", "lines": [ "micro-jacket", "stills" ], "links": [], "value": "micro-jacket\nstills" }, { "label": "Stills", "lines": [ "black and white", "transparency" ], "links": [], "value": "black and white\ntransparency" } ], "observed_at_ms": 1791608410545, "priref": "222439", "related_records": [], "source_url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/People/222439", "title": "Stanley Holloway" } ``` ### List search fields - Capability: `records/list_search_fields` - Description: The expert-search field list of one database (GET /web/search/getexpertsearchfields?sourcename={database}): field names and labels usable in `search_records` conditions, the sort fields and the page sizes the form offers. - Instructions: Before `search_records` on a database whose field names you do not know. - Cost: 5 credits per call - Capability file: [List search fields](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/list_search_fields) Accepted options: - `database` (string, required): database Example: `ChoiceFilmWorks` Response schema example: ```json { "connectives": [ "And", "Or", "AndNot" ], "database": "People", "fields": [ { "label": "Name", "name": "Field_Name" }, { "label": "Activity type", "name": "Field_Activity_type" }, { "label": "Nationality", "name": "Field_Nationality" } ], "observed_at_ms": 1791608418261, "page_sizes": [ 10, 25, 50, 100, 250 ], "sort_options": [ { "label": "Unsorted", "name": "Search_Unsorted" }, { "label": "Name", "name": "Search_SortName" } ], "source_url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/getexpertsearchfields?sourcename=People" } ``` ### Lookup terms - Capability: `records/lookup_terms` - Description: Controlled-vocabulary browse for a search field (GET /web/helper/GetLookupValues): the site's lookup popup for fields such as Field_Genre or Field_SubjectMuseum returns the vocabulary terms from the alphabetical position of `term` onwards (one window of up to 32 terms) with the total count. Terms are exact values for `search_records` conditions with truncation off. - Instructions: Find the exact genre, subject, work type or other authority term spelling before searching on it. - Cost: 5 credits per call - Capability file: [Lookup terms](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/lookup_terms) Accepted options: - `database` (string, required): database Example: `ChoiceFilmWorks` - `field` (string, required): Field with a lookup list, e.g. Field_Genre or Field_SubjectMuseum on ChoiceFilmWorks. Pattern: ^Field_[A-Za-z0-9_]{1,80}$. Example: `` - `search_type` (string): Which form's lookup to use; the vocabulary is the same. Example: `advanced` - `term` (string, required): Starting point in the alphabetical list. Example: `` Response schema example: ```json { "database": "ChoiceFilmWorks", "field": "Field_Genre", "field_label": "Genre", "observed_at_ms": 1791608425029, "source_url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/helper/GetLookupValues?searchType=advanced&database=ChoiceFilmWorks&fieldName=Field_Genre&term=west", "term": "west", "terms": [ "Western", "Wildlife TV programme" ], "total": 2 } ``` ### Search records - Capability: `records/search_records` - Description: Expert search of one BFI Collections Search database (POST /web/search/expert): one to five field conditions (field name from `list_search_fields`, value, right-truncation on by default, and/or/and-not connective), an optional sort field and direction, 10 to 250 records per page and a page number. Returns the result count, the page navigator and the brief rows of the requested page: priref, detail URL, title and the summary lines the site renders (credits, dates, country, work type, 'Part of:' series; activity type for persons) plus the collection badges (Film / Video material, Books, Articles, ...). Page 1 comes from the search POST; later pages re-run the search and read /web/results/{page} in the same session. - Instructions: Find BFI catalogue records (films, TV programmes, archive items, books, articles, posters, stills, people) matching field conditions, then follow the prirefs with `get_record`. Use `list_search_fields` first when unsure which field names a database supports. - Cost: 5 credits per call - Capability file: [Search records](https://firecrawl.dev/alexandria/agents/providers/collections-search-bfi-org-uk/records/search_records) Accepted options: - `conditions` (object[], required): Field conditions combined in order with each condition's connective (the first connective is ignored by the site). Example: `[]` - `database` (string, required): Database (the form's SourceName): ChoiceFilmWorks = Film and Television Works, ChoiceFilmItems = film/video items, People = Persons and Institutions, ChoiceBooks, ChoiceSerials, ChoiceArticles, ChoicePresscuttings, ChoiceArchive (scripts, documents, ephemera), ChoicePosters, ChoiceStills, ChoiceSpecialCollections, ChoiceLibrary. Example: `ChoiceFilmWorks` - `page` (number): 1-based results page. Pass `next_page` from the previous output to continue. Example: `1` - `page_size` (number): Records per page; the site offers exactly these sizes. Example: `25` - `sort_direction` (string): sort_direction Example: `Ascending` - `sort_field` (string): Sort field from `list_search_fields` sort_options (Search_SortTitle, Search_SortTitleDate, Search_SortName, ...). Default Search_Unsorted (the site's relevance/record order). Pattern: ^Search_[A-Za-z0-9_]{1,60}$. Example: `list_search_fields` Response schema example: ```json { "count": 2, "database": "People", "database_label": "Persons and Institutions", "next_page": null, "observed_at_ms": 1791608339241, "page": 1, "page_count": 1, "page_size": 10, "results": [ { "collections": [], "detail_url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/People/222439", "lines": [ "Holloway, Stanley", "Cast (person), Direction (person), Presentation (person)", "Born: 1890-10-01, Manor House, London, England", "Name note: Born Stanley Augustus Holloway. Son actor Julian Holloway." ], "links": [], "position": 1, "priref": "222439", "title": "Holloway, Stanley" }, { "collections": [], "detail_url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/People/999592270", "lines": [ "HOLLOWAY, Stanley" ], "links": [], "position": 2, "priref": "999592270", "title": "HOLLOWAY, Stanley" } ], "search_description": "Name = Holloway, Stanley", "source_url": "https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/results", "total": 2 } ```