Skip to main content
Kafka provides powerful search capabilities to help you find books, audiobooks, and other content from the Internet Archive. Use text search, filters, and media type selection to narrow results. Search for content by keyword:
1

Open search

Tap the search icon in the bottom navigation bar to open the search screen.
2

Enter search term

Type your search query in the search box at the top. Search works in real-time as you type.
3

Submit search

Tap the search button on your keyboard or the search icon to execute the search.
4

View results

Results appear in a scrollable grid. Tap any item to view its details.
Search queries can include book titles, author names, subjects, keywords, or any text found in item metadata.

​
Search Filters

Refine your search results using advanced filters:

​
Available Filters

Kafka provides filters based on content categorization:

Genre Filters

Filter by specific genres to find fiction, non-fiction, biography, science fiction, mystery, and more.

Language Filters

Search for content in specific languages. Particularly useful for finding books in non-English languages.

Creator Filters

Filter by author, narrator, or creator to find all works by specific people.

Subject Filters

Browse by subject areas like history, science, philosophy, technology, and more.

​
Using Search Filters

1

Enter search query

Start by typing your search term in the search box.
2

View filter chips

Below the search bar, you’ll see filter chips. Available filters depend on the Internet Archive’s categorization.
3

Select filters

Tap any filter chip to activate it. Selected filters show a checkmark and highlighted background.
4

Multiple selections

Select multiple filters to narrow results. Filters work together (AND logic).
5

Remove filters

Tap an active filter again to deselect it and broaden your results.
Experiment with different filter combinations to find exactly what you’re looking for. Each filter narrows the results further.

​
Media Type Selection

Filter results by media type to find specific content formats:

​
Available Media Types

Choose from these media type filters:
  • Texts - Books, documents, manuscripts, and other text-based content
  • Audio - Audiobooks, podcasts, music, and spoken word recordings
  • Movies - Video content including films and documentaries
  • Image - Photos, artwork, and image collections
Media type filters appear as separate chips below the search filters. You can combine media types with subject/language filters.

​
Selecting Media Types

1

Locate media chips

Find the media type filter chips below the search bar and subject filters.
2

Choose type

Tap “Texts”, “Audio”, “Movies”, or “Image” to filter by that media type.
3

Combine types

Select multiple media types to see content across formats (OR logic).
4

Clear selection

Tap an active media type again to remove that filter.

​
Filter Examples

Audiobooks Only

Search query: “science fiction” + Media type: AudioFinds science fiction audiobooks.

Spanish Books

Search query: “historia” + Filter: Spanish + Media type: TextsFinds Spanish history books.

Classic Literature

Search query: “shakespeare” + Media type: Texts + Media type: AudioFinds both text and audio versions of Shakespeare works.

Creator Search

Search query: “Dickens” + Filter: Creator + Media type: TextsFinds all text works by Charles Dickens.

​
Search Results

Understand your search results:

​
Result Display

  • Grid layout - Results display in a 2-column grid on phones
  • Item cards - Each result shows cover image, title, and creator
  • Scrollable list - Scroll to load more results
  • Tap to open - Tap any item to view its full details

​
Result Information

Each search result card displays:
  • Cover artwork - Visual preview of the item
  • Title - Full title of the work
  • Creator - Author, narrator, or artist name
  • Media type - Icon indicating if it’s text, audio, etc.
Search results are ranked by relevance. The most relevant items appear first based on your search query and filters.

​
Recent Searches

Kafka remembers your search history:

​
Accessing Recent Searches

When the search box is empty:
  • Recent searches appear below the search bar
  • Shows your last several search queries
  • Tap any recent search to run it again
  • Swipe or tap the X button to remove individual searches

​
Using Recent Searches

1

Clear search box

Delete any text in the search box to reveal recent searches.
2

View history

Your recent search terms are listed below.
3

Repeat search

Tap any recent search to execute it again with the same filters.
4

Remove searches

Swipe left on a recent search or tap the remove button to delete it from history.
Recent searches are stored locally on your device and don’t sync across devices.
Search using your voice (Android only):
1

Tap microphone icon

Look for the microphone icon in the search box.
2

Speak your query

When prompted, speak your search term clearly.
3

Review and search

Your spoken words appear as text. Tap search to execute the query.

Voice Search Tips

  • Speak clearly and at normal pace
  • Include full phrases like “books about ancient Rome”
  • Spell out author names for accuracy
  • Works best in quiet environments

​
Search Tips

Get better results with these search strategies:

​
Query Tips

Be Specific

Use specific terms: “quantum physics” instead of “science”

Try Variations

If you don’t find results, try alternate spellings or synonyms

Author Names

Search by author: “jane austen” or “asimov”

Titles

Search full or partial titles: “pride and prejudice” or “prejudice”

​
Filter Tips

  • Start broad, then narrow - Begin with a general search, then apply filters
  • Combine strategically - Use media type + one or two subject filters for best results
  • Experiment - Try different filter combinations if you’re not finding what you want
  • Remove filters - If results are too narrow, remove some filters

​
Advanced Techniques

1

Subject browsing

Search for a broad subject like “history”, then use filters to narrow by time period or region.
2

Author exploration

Find one book by an author, then tap their name to see all their works.
3

Similar items

After finding relevant results, note the subjects/tags used and search for those specifically.
4

Language discovery

Use language filters to explore content in languages you’re learning.

​
No Results

If your search returns no results:
  1. Check spelling - Verify search terms are spelled correctly
  2. Broaden search - Remove filters or use more general terms
  3. Try alternatives - Use synonyms or related terms
  4. Check media type - Ensure you haven’t filtered out the content you want
  5. Simplify query - Use fewer words or shorter phrases
The Internet Archive contains millions of items, but not everything. If you can’t find something specific, try searching for related works or broader topics.

​
Search Performance

For the best search experience:
  • Connection required - Search requires an internet connection
  • Loading indicator - A progress spinner shows while searching
  • Incremental results - Results load progressively as you scroll
  • Cache friendly - Recent searches load faster from cache
Search queries the Internet Archive’s database in real-time, so speed depends on your internet connection and Archive server response time.

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us