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Crossref Reference Lists (BYOK) — connector documentation

  • MCP endpoint: https://byok-crossref-reference.connectorbay.com/mcp
  • REST API: POST https://byok-crossref-reference.connectorbay.com/v1/tools/{tool_name}, described by the OpenAPI 3.1 spec at https://byok-crossref-reference.connectorbay.com/openapi.json
  • Transport: Streamable HTTP, stateless, MCP specification 2025-06-18 or later
  • Authentication: your own Crossref Reference Lists Crossref Metadata Plus API token, sent in the X-Upstream-Key header of every request (never stored, logged or cached)
  • Health: https://byok-crossref-reference.connectorbay.com/health · Tool schemas: https://byok-crossref-reference.connectorbay.com/tools.json
  • Publisher: Unify Dynamics LLC · connectorbay.com/byok-crossref-reference · agent@connectorbay.com

What Crossref Reference Lists (BYOK) is for

Crossref Reference Lists (BYOK) lets an AI assistant read your own Crossref Reference Lists data through the Crossref Reference Lists API with a key you supply (Crossref Metadata Plus API token). Read-only: 6 tools (list_work_types, get_work_type, list_licenses, list_works_by_type, list_works_by_prefix, list_works_by_member). The BYOK key travels with each request, is used for that one call only and is never stored, logged or cached; it is only ever sent to api.crossref.org. Unofficial connector by Unify Dynamics LLC: not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Crossref Reference Lists. Crossref Reference Lists and its logos are trademarks of their owners and are used only to say which service the connector works with.

Ask your assistant things like:

  • "Which work types does Crossref use?"
  • "Describe the Crossref work type journal-article"
  • "Which licenses appear most in Crossref metadata?"
  • "List recent datasets registered with Crossref"
  • "List works under DOI prefix 10.1038 published in 2026"
  • "List recent works deposited by Crossref member 297"

What it does

  • list_work_types: List the valid Crossref work types such as journal-article, book-chapter and dataset, with their ids and labels.
  • get_work_type: Get one Crossref work type by id.
  • list_licenses: List the license URLs applied to works in Crossref metadata, with how many works use each.
  • list_works_by_type: List works of one work type, with search, filter and paging.
  • list_works_by_prefix: List works registered under one DOI prefix, with search, filter and paging.
  • list_works_by_member: List works deposited by one Crossref member (publisher), with search, filter and paging.

BYOK key

You bring your own Crossref Reference Lists Crossref Metadata Plus API token (https://www.crossref.org/services/metadata-delivery/plus-service/). Your assistant sends it in the X-Upstream-Key header with each request. ConnectorBay uses it for that one call only: it is never stored, logged or cached, never shown in an answer, and it is only sent to api.crossref.org over https, with no redirects followed. Create a key with the fewest permissions the tools need (read-only if the provider offers it), and revoke it at the provider whenever you like.

Data sources

Live from the Crossref Reference Lists API (api.crossref.org) with a BYOK key; documentation: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CrossRef/rest-api-doc/master/README.md. Endpoints checked against that documentation on 2026-10-16.

What it is not

Unofficial connector by Unify Dynamics LLC: not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Crossref Reference Lists. Crossref Reference Lists and its logos are trademarks of their owners and are used only to say which service the connector works with. It is read-only: it never creates, changes, sends or deletes anything in your Crossref Reference Lists account.

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