This guide describes how to integrate ChiliFresh Cover Art into your OPAC, discovery layer or library web site.

There are two ways to integrate:

1. Direct image retrieval — your catalog embeds a ChiliFresh image URL (or your server pulls the image) and the cover is returned as an image. This is the simplest and most common method.
2. Covers (RESTful) API — your application first queries the API to learn whether a cover exists (and at which sizes) and then retrieves the image URLs from the API response. See Covers (RESTful) API for full reference.

• URL: https://content.chilifresh.com/
• Method: GET
• Output: GIF image

Basic request format:

https://content.chilifresh.com/?isbn=XXXXXXXXXX&size=Y

Live example:

https://content.chilifresh.com/?isbn=9780578033440&size=M

At least one identifier parameter (isbn, upc, oclc, lccn or issn) must be present. Any identifier parameter accepts multiple values as a comma-separated list, and several identifier parameters can be combined in one request — see below.

The following item identifiers are accepted as request parameters:

Each identifier parameter accepts either a single value or multiple values as a comma-separated list.

Provide multiple identifiers at once — pass all identifiers you have on the bibliographic record in a single request:

https://content.chilifresh.com/?isbn=9780578033440&oclc=(OCoLC)4048055&size=M

Identifiers are processed in the order provided and the first existing cover image is returned. Supplying every identifier you have (ISBN, UPC, OCLC, …) maximizes the chance of retrieving a cover.

The same applies to multiple values of the same identifier type: pass them as a comma-separated list — they are processed in order and the first match is returned. Example with several ISBNs from one record:

https://content.chilifresh.com/?isbn=9780578033440,0807282588&size=M

OCLC number examples (as they appear in bibliographic records):

https://content.chilifresh.com/?oclc=(OCoLC)ocm50035236&size=M
https://content.chilifresh.com/?oclc=(OCoLC)ocn933282680&size=M
https://content.chilifresh.com/?oclc=(OCoLC)on1021885771&size=M
https://content.chilifresh.com/?oclc=(OCoLC)pcl00007081&size=M
https://content.chilifresh.com/?oclc=(OCoLC)4048055&size=M

Three image sizes are available via the size parameter:

Size	Value	Max dimensions	Example (isbn=0807282588)
Small	S	70 x 100 px
Medium	M	150 x 240 px
Large	L	300 x 480 px

If the size parameter is omitted (or invalid), the small image is returned.

• Generic placeholder image (default). By default, generic images are enabled: if no actual cover exists, a placeholder image showing the book title and author is returned. A returned generic image is a normal image response — it is not treated as a miss.
• Disabling generic images. To disable generic images, add generic=false to the retrieval URL:

  https://content.chilifresh.com/?isbn=9780578033440&size=M&generic=false

• Blank 1×1 px GIF. If no image is returned (no actual cover and no generic image), the output is a blank 1×1 px GIF image.
• 404 error instead of blank GIF. If you prefer an HTTP 404 response instead of the blank GIF (useful for server-side integrations that check the response code), add showerror=true to the retrieval URL:

  https://content.chilifresh.com/?isbn=9780578033440&size=M&generic=false&showerror=true

Custom placeholder: you can also provide your own placeholder image to be displayed instead of the ChiliFresh generic image — contact support@chilifresh.com to set this up.

For client-side integrations, ChiliFresh provides a small dependency-free JavaScript library that builds cover URLs, injects the <img> elements and handles items without covers (hide the element, or show your own placeholder). It uses the direct image retrieval method described above — no extra API calls are made.

• Library: https://content.chilifresh.com/js/chilifresh-covers.js
• Live demo: https://content.chilifresh.com/js/demo/

Remember: add your catalog/web page hostnames in ChiliFresh Admin panel → Covered hosts before going live.

Mark elements with data-cf-* attributes and include the script with the data-cf-auto attribute — the library scans the page and inserts the cover images automatically:

<span data-cf-isbn="9780578033440" data-cf-size="M"></span>
 
<script src="https://content.chilifresh.com/js/chilifresh-covers.js" data-cf-auto></script>

Supported element attributes:

Several identifier attributes can be combined on one element — one request is made and the first existing cover is returned:

<span data-cf-isbn="9780578033440,0807282588"
      data-cf-oclc="(OCoLC)4048055"
      data-cf-size="M"></span>

The library exposes a global ChiliFreshCovers object (also usable as a CommonJS module):

Examples:

// Build a URL only
var url = ChiliFreshCovers.url({ isbn: '9780578033440', size: 'L' });
 
// Load a cover, with your own placeholder on miss
ChiliFreshCovers.load('#cover', {
  isbn: ['9780578033440', '0807282588'],   // arrays become comma-separated lists
  oclc: '(OCoLC)4048055',
  size: 'M',
  generic: false,
  fallbackSrc: '/img/no-cover.png'
}).then(function (result) {
  console.log('cover found:', result.found);
});
 
// Re-scan the page after AJAX-rendered results
ChiliFreshCovers.auto(document.getElementById('search-results'));

After each element is processed, the library sets data-cf-status=“found” or data-cf-status=“miss” on it, so miss states can also be styled purely with CSS.

If your application needs to know whether a cover exists before rendering (e.g. to control layout, caching or fallbacks), use the Covers API. It returns availability flags and cover URLs for each size, with XML and JSON output.

• XML endpoint: https://content.chilifresh.com/api/
• JSON endpoint: https://content.chilifresh.com/api/json/

Full reference: Covers (RESTful) API

Authorization for image display is managed through white-listing in the ChiliFresh Admin panel → Covered hosts. Enter there:

• Client-side retrieval (the patron's browser loads images directly from ChiliFresh): the hostnames of your catalog and web pages that will display the images.
• Server-side retrieval (your server pulls images from ChiliFresh): the IP address(es) of the server(s) that will be pulling the images.

Please note:

• Images are returned even if your host/IP is not yet entered — however, hosts that are not white-listed are eventually blocked. Enter your hosts/IPs before going live.
• The white-listed hosts/IPs are also used for collecting the usage statistics displayed on the Admin panel.

Questions about integration, custom placeholder images or white-listing: support@chilifresh.com.