# SparkNotes Study Guide Scraper (`crawlerbros/sparknotes-scraper`) Actor Scrape study guides and literary analysis from GradeSaver - a leading provider of free study guides, summaries, character analysis, themes, and quotes for literature, Shakespeare, and classic novels. Browse all guides or fetch specific book guides. - **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/sparknotes-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Agents, Developer tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $3.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Study Guide Scraper (SparkNotes-style) Scrape free literary study guides from [GradeSaver](https://www.gradesaver.com) — one of the largest providers of free study guides, covering summaries, character analysis, themes, quotes, and essays for 700+ literary works. ### What This Scraper Does - Browse all available literary study guides - Fetch detailed guide metadata including author, synopsis, and available sections - Search guides by keyword, title, or author name ### Output Fields | Field | Description | |---|---| | `guideId` | Unique guide slug (e.g., `hamlet`) | | `title` | Book/work title | | `author` | Primary author name | | `synopsis` | Brief description from guide metadata | | `genre` | Literary genre (if available) | | `sections` | List of available guide sections | | `hasSummary` | Whether a full summary is available | | `hasCharacterList` | Whether a character list is available | | `hasThemes` | Whether a themes analysis is available | | `hasQuotes` | Whether quotes and analysis are available | | `guideUrl` | GradeSaver guide URL | | `sourceUrl` | Canonical URL | | `recordType` | Always `studyGuide` | | `scrapedAt` | Scrape timestamp (UTC ISO) | ### Input Options #### Mode: `browseGuides` (default) Browse all available study guides. ```json { "mode": "browseGuides", "maxItems": 50 } ```` #### Mode: `guideDetails` Fetch full details for specific guides by slug or URL. ```json { "mode": "guideDetails", "slugs": [ "hamlet", "https://www.gradesaver.com/the-great-gatsby" ] } ``` #### Mode: `searchGuides` Search guides by keyword (searches titles and authors). ```json { "mode": "searchGuides", "searchQuery": "Shakespeare", "maxItems": 20 } ``` ### Use Cases - **Education platforms**: Build a literature resource catalog - **Student tools**: Find available study materials for assigned reading - **Content aggregation**: Collect literary analysis metadata across works - **Research**: Analyze which classic works have the most study resources ### FAQ **Q: Is authentication required?** A: No. GradeSaver provides free public study guides without login. **Q: How many guides are available?** A: GradeSaver covers 700+ literary works including novels, plays, and poetry collections. **Q: Does this scrape the full guide content?** A: The `browseGuides` mode returns guide metadata and section availability. The `guideDetails` mode fetches additional metadata from each guide's main page. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): What to fetch. ## `slugs` (type: `array`): List of guide slugs (e.g. 'hamlet') or full GradeSaver URLs. ## `searchQuery` (type: `string`): Keyword to search across guide titles and authors. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of guides to return. ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "browseGuides", "slugs": [], "searchQuery": "Shakespeare", "maxItems": 20 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `guides` (type: `string`): Dataset containing all scraped literary study guides. # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "mode": "browseGuides", "slugs": [], "searchQuery": "Shakespeare", "maxItems": 20 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/sparknotes-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "mode": "browseGuides", "slugs": [], "searchQuery": "Shakespeare", "maxItems": 20, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("crawlerbros/sparknotes-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "mode": "browseGuides", "slugs": [], "searchQuery": "Shakespeare", "maxItems": 20 }' | apify call crawlerbros/sparknotes-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlerbros/sparknotes-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "SparkNotes Study Guide Scraper", "description": "Scrape study guides and literary analysis from GradeSaver - a leading provider of free study guides, summaries, character analysis, themes, and quotes for literature, Shakespeare, and classic novels. Browse all guides or fetch specific book guides.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "5G8W4Bmpc5Kj5s3nJ" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/crawlerbros~sparknotes-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-crawlerbros-sparknotes-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~sparknotes-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-crawlerbros-sparknotes-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~sparknotes-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-crawlerbros-sparknotes-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "mode" ], "properties": { "mode": { "title": "Mode", "enum": [ "browseGuides", "guideDetails", "searchGuides" ], "type": "string", "description": "What to fetch.", "default": "browseGuides" }, "slugs": { "title": "Guide slugs or URLs (mode=guideDetails)", "type": "array", "description": "List of guide slugs (e.g. 'hamlet') or full GradeSaver URLs.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "searchQuery": { "title": "Search query (mode=searchGuides)", "type": "string", "description": "Keyword to search across guide titles and authors.", "default": "Shakespeare" }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max items", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 500, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of guides to return.", "default": 20 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```