Use SourceShelf with Claude Code

Add the server #

Create a SourceShelf share, then run:

claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user sourceshelf-municipal-research -- \
  "/Applications/SourceShelf.app/Contents/MacOS/SourceShelfMCPServer" \
  --share "<share-id>"

Use the exact path and share ID shown by SourceShelf. The --scope user option makes the connection available across your projects. Omit it for Claude Code’s default local/project-specific scope, or use --scope project when the team should receive a checked-in .mcp.json entry.

Verify #

From a shell:

claude mcp list

Inside Claude Code, enter:

/mcp

Confirm that search_pack and read_pack_resource appear.

Test prompt #

Search the SourceShelf pack for the transit service notice. Read the most relevant result and explain the service change, citing the sourceshelf:// URI. Use no other files or web sources.

For a weaker model, explicitly require one search followed by a read.

Project configuration #

Claude Code also supports .mcp.json. SourceShelf’s copied configuration already uses the common mcpServers shape:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sourceshelf-municipal-research": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/Applications/SourceShelf.app/Contents/MacOS/SourceShelfMCPServer",
      "args": ["--share", "<share-id>"]
    }
  }
}

Do not commit a real share ID to a public repository. Prefer user scope for a personal SourceShelf snapshot.

Use an Ollama model #

After the SourceShelf entry is configured, Ollama can launch Claude Code against a local model:

ollama launch claude

The Claude Code process remains the MCP host; Ollama supplies the model.

Official reference: Claude Code MCP.