Anna's Archive MCP server

annas-mcp

An MCP server that lets Claude, Cursor, Codex and other AI clients search Anna's Archive for books and papers and download the file you pick. It also works as a command-line tool.

Use it only for material you are entitled to obtain, under the laws and terms that apply to you.

Setup

You need Node.js 18 or newer and an Anna's Archive membership:

1. Get your credentials

• Account cookie. Sign in to Anna's Archive, open your browser's developer tools and go to Application (Chrome, Edge) or Storage (Firefox, Safari) → Cookies. Copy the value of aaaccountid2. It expires weekly; see Renewing the cookie.
• API key. Copy it from your Anna's Archive account page. See the API FAQ. Only needed for downloads.

2. Add the server to your client

Claude Code

claude mcp add annas-mcp \
  --env ANNAS_ACCOUNT_COOKIE=your-cookie \
  --env ANNAS_SECRET_KEY=your-api-key \
  --env ANNAS_DOWNLOAD_PATH=/absolute/path/to/downloads \
  -- npx -y annas-mcp

On native Windows (not WSL), end the command with -- cmd /c npx -y annas-mcp.

Claude Desktop, one click. Download annas-mcp.mcpb and open it, or drag it onto Settings → Extensions. Claude Desktop asks for the cookie, API key and download folder.

Claude Desktop and Cursor, by hand. Add this to Claude Desktop's config (Settings → Developer → Edit Config) or to Cursor's ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "annas-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "annas-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ANNAS_ACCOUNT_COOKIE": "your-cookie",
        "ANNAS_SECRET_KEY": "your-api-key",
        "ANNAS_DOWNLOAD_PATH": "/absolute/path/to/downloads"
      }
    }
  }
}

Codex. Add this to ~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.annas-mcp]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "annas-mcp"]

[mcp_servers.annas-mcp.env]
ANNAS_ACCOUNT_COOKIE = "your-cookie"
ANNAS_SECRET_KEY = "your-api-key"
ANNAS_DOWNLOAD_PATH = "/absolute/path/to/downloads"

Pick a permanent ANNASDOWNLOADPATH. Folders under /tmp are cleared by the operating system.

3. Try it

Restart your client and ask something like "Find the EPUB of Pride and Prejudice and download it." The AI searches, picks a copy and returns the path of the saved file.

npx downloads the latest release on first run, verifies its checksum and caches it. Later runs start from the cache and pick up new releases automatically.

Renewing the cookie

The aaaccountid2 cookie expires every week. When searches start failing with [UPSTREAM_BLOCKED]:

1. Copy a fresh aaaccountid2 value from your browser, as in step 1.
2. Replace ANNASACCOUNTCOOKIE in your client's config.
3. Restart the MCP server from your client.

Shortened. The full README is on GitHub.