About io.github.mlava/scholar-sidekick-mcp
io.github.mlava/scholar-sidekick-mcp is an MCP server in the Documentation category: resolve, format, and export academic citations from any AI assistant.
Install
claude mcp add io-github-mlava-scholar-sidekick-mcp -- npx -y scholar-sidekick-mcpnpx -y scholar-sidekick-mcpThis server has no ConduID identity, so agent calls to it are not receipted. Pin the version you install and review the source before granting it credentials.
Tools (7)
**auditBibliography**Run the `verifyCitation` check plus a retraction lookup across a *whole* bibliography in one call. Accepts raw BibTeX, RIS, or CSL-JSON text, or a pre-parsed `claims[]` array; returns a per-entry verdict table and a corpus summary. Capped at 25 entries per call.
Parameters not published.
**checkOpenAccess**Check whether a single work is openly accessible and where to find the best legal version. Sourced from Unpaywall. Returns OA status (gold/green/hybrid/bronze/closed), best landing/PDF URL, license, and version. Resolves DOI/PMID/PMCID/arXiv/ISBN/ADS inputs to a DOI before lookup. One identifier per call.
Parameters not published.
**checkRetraction**Check whether a single work has been retracted, corrected, or had an expression of concern raised. Sourced from Crossref `updated-by` (Retraction Watch). Resolves DOI/PMID/PMCID/arXiv/ADS inputs to a DOI before lookup. One identifier per call.
Parameters not published.
**exportCitation**Export one or many identifiers to BibTeX, RIS, CSL JSON, EndNote (XML/Refer), RefWorks, MEDLINE, Zotero RDF, CSV, or plain text — ready to write to disk or hand to a reference manager.
Parameters not published.
**formatCitation**Format one or many identifiers into Vancouver, AMA, APA, IEEE, CSE, or any of 10,000+ CSL styles. Output as text, HTML, or JSON. Returns formatted citations plus a provenance metadata block.
Parameters not published.
**resolveIdentifier**Resolve DOIs, PMIDs, PMCIDs, ISBNs, arXiv IDs, ISSNs, ADS bibcodes, and WHO IRIS URLs to structured bibliographic metadata (CSL JSON). Accepts a single identifier or a comma/newline-separated batch.
Parameters not published.
**verifyCitation**Verify a claimed citation against the resolved record at its identifier. Detects the Topaz et al. (Lancet 2026) fabrication pattern — real DOI + invented title — that `resolveIdentifier` alone cannot catch. Returns one of four verdicts (`matched` / `mismatch` / `ambiguous` / `not_found`) plus per-field similarity scores and the resolved record so the user can see where the cited title and the actual paper diverged. Optional Stage 3 LLM screen rescues informal-abbreviation false positives (paid plans / first-party authentication only). One citation per call.
Parameters not published.
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README
Scholar Sidekick MCP Server
MCP server for Scholar Sidekick — resolve, format, and export academic citations from any AI assistant.
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| resolveIdentifier | Resolve DOIs, PMIDs, PMCIDs, ISBNs, arXiv IDs, ISSNs, ADS bibcodes to structured bibliographic metadata |
| formatCitation | Format identifiers into Vancouver, AMA, APA, IEEE, CSE, or 10,000+ CSL styles. Output as text, HTML, or JSON |
| exportCitation | Export to BibTeX, RIS, CSL JSON, EndNote (XML/Refer), RefWorks, MEDLINE, Zotero RDF, CSV, or plain text |
Setup
Get a RapidAPI key
- Subscribe to Scholar Sidekick on RapidAPI (free tier available)
- Copy your RapidAPI key
Claude Desktop
Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):
{
"mcpServers": {
"scholar-sidekick": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "scholar-sidekick-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"RAPIDAPI_KEY": "your-rapidapi-key"
}
}
}
}
Claude Code
claude mcp add scholar-sidekick \
-e RAPIDAPI_KEY=your-rapidapi-key \
-- npx -y scholar-sidekick-mcp@latest
Cursor / VS Code / Windsurf
Add to .cursor/mcp.json or .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"scholar-sidekick": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "scholar-sidekick-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"RAPIDAPI_KEY": "your-rapidapi-key"
}
}
}
}
Environment Variables
| Variable | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
RAPIDAPI_KEY |
Yes | Your RapidAPI subscription key |
RAPIDAPI_HOST |
No | RapidAPI host (defaults to scholar-sidekick.p.rapidapi.com) |
SCHOLAR_SIDEKICK_TIMEOUT_MS |
No | Request timeout in milliseconds (default: 30000) |
Supported Citation Styles
Scholar Sidekick supports 10,000+ CSL styles, including all major formats used in academic publishing:
| Style | Keyword |
|---|---|
| Vancouver | vancouver |
| APA (7th ed.) | apa |
| AMA | ama |
| IEEE | ieee |
| CSE | cse |
| Chicago (author-date) | chicago-author-date |
| Harvard | harvard-cite-them-right |
| MLA | modern-language-association |
| Turabian | turabian-fullnote-bibliography |
| Nature | nature |
| BMJ | bmj |
| Lancet | the-lancet |
Any CSL style ID can be passed as the style parameter.
Example Usage
Once connected, ask your AI assistant:
- "Format 10.1056/NEJMoa2033700 in Vancouver style"
- "Resolve PMID:30049270 and export as BibTeX"
- "Format these as APA: 10.1056/NEJMoa2033700, PMID:30049270, ISBN:9780192854087"
- "Give me a Chicago citation for arXiv:2301.08745"
Supported Identifiers
- DOIs (e.g.
10.1056/NEJMoa2033700) - PubMed IDs (e.g.
PMID:30049270) - PubMed Central IDs (e.g.
PMC7793608) - ISBNs (e.g.
ISBN:9780192854087) - arXiv IDs (e.g.
2301.08745) - ISSNs and eISSNs
- NASA ADS bibcodes
- WHO IRIS URLs
REST API
For programmatic access outside of MCP clients, Scholar Sidekick is also available as a REST API on RapidAPI. Your same RapidAPI key works for both.
Development
npm install
npm run build # Bundle to dist/mcp-server.mjs
npm test # Run tests
npm run typecheck
License
MIT
README copy captured when this server was indexed; it may lag the repository. The original is authoritative.