Query Google NotebookLM notebooks for source-grounded, citation-backed answers from user-uploaded documents. Manages notebook library, handles Google authentication, and supports smart discovery. Works standalone via /blog notebooklm or internally from blog-write and blog-researcher for source-groun

Blog NotebookLM: Source Grounded Research from Your Documents Google renamed NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook on 2026 07 16 ([announcement](https://blog.google/innovation and ai/products/gemini notebook/notebooklm gemini notebook/)). This skill keeps the notebooklm command and script names. The scripts accept notebook URLs on notebooklm.google.com (which redirected with a 301 to notebook.google.com on 2026 10 12) and on notebook.google.com . Help: https://support.google.com/gemininotebook/. Bundled paths below use host Markdown substitution of ${CLAUDE SKILL DIR} ; it is not an exported shell variable. Resolve them before execution, quote paths, and refuse nonabsolute overrides. Pass blog reference root resolved from ${CLAUDE SKILL DIR}/../blog/references , blog template root from ${CLAUDE SKILL DIR}/../blog/templates , and needed sibling roots to agents. Read the main reference orchestration details.md before loading project context; pass only its helper fenced output to downstream agents. Query Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) notebooks directly from Claude Code for citation backed answers from Gemini. Each question opens a headless browser session, retrieves the answer from your uploaded documents, and closes. Responses are source grounded model answers, not proof of truth: uploaded documents may be primary or secondary, and the answer can still omit context. Answers provide usable provenance only when the returned citation identifies a verifiable underlying source. Record a stable source URL and a publication, study period, or retrieval date when that detail affects verification or interpretation. Use the underlying source title as the inline citation. Do not cite the private NotebookLM URL as the bibliography entry for public content. Cost and consent gate (mandatory, read first) This skill drives the user's real Google account in a browser. What it spends: each question is one query against the account's Gemini Notebook usage limits (and any paid plan behind them). It costs no API money, but a loop can exhaust the user's allowance. Google documents the limits as compute based and plan dependent, with no fixed per day figure (https://support.google.com/gemininotebook/answer/17670842, read 2026 10 12). What it writes: data/library.json , data/auth info.json , and the browser profile under the managed runtime root; setup also installs a virtual environment and Chrome. Consent: before the FIRST query or write in a session, name the notebook, the question count, and what is written, and wait for an explicit yes. Setup, reauth, clear, and cleanup each need their own yes. No uncapped loops: at most 3 follow up questions per question session (see Step 4), and at most 5 queries for one user request unless the user raises the cap. Stop at the first usage limit error. Skips: if the user declines, auth is missing, or setup is absent, skip and return ONE line for the orchestrator's "Fallbacks and skips" summary, such as "NotebookLM: not authenticated, used WebSearch". Quick Reference Command What it does /blog notebooklm ask <question Query a notebook for source grounded answers /blog notebooklm discover <url Smart discover notebook content before cataloging /blog notebooklm library list List all notebooks in library /blog notebooklm library add <url Add a notebook to library /blog notebooklm library search <query Search notebooks by keyword /blog notebooklm library remove <id Remove a notebook from library /blog notebooklm setup One time Google authentication (browser visible) /blog notebooklm status Check authentication status /blog notebooklm cleanup Clean browser state (preserves library) Persistent runtime directory CLAUDE BLOG RUNTIME DIR optionally selects one trusted absolute persistent root. This integration uses <root /blog notebooklm/.venv ; NotebookLM also uses <root /blog notebooklm/data for its library, authentication and browser state. Without this override, the existing skill local defaults stay in use. Google's shared credential config/token paths stay unchanged. No state is copied or migrated automatically, and ordinary runs never perform setup. Preserve an existing validated operator override. For a plugin without one, explicitly pass the host substituted ${CLAUDE PLUGIN DATA}/claude blog runtime path on both setup and every later runner call. This is Markdown substitution, not an exported shell variable. Execute only once it is an absolute resolved path. Single quotes keep an unresolved placeholder literal so validation rejects it instead of expanding it to a different shell path: Only explicit setup without check installs dependencies. Standalone users keep the default unless they explicitly choose an absolute runtime root. Relative, unresolved, or linked managed subdirectories fail closed. Changing the root selects separate state; it never authorizes a migration or cleanup of the old root. Plugin persistent data follows the host's uninstall retention rules; preserve it explicitly when uninstalling if it is still needed. Prerequisites Google account with Gemini Notebook (NotebookLM) access Python 3.11+; the explicit setup action owns the managed venv Google Chrome, installed only by the explicit setup action (never by an ordinary run) One time authentication setup (interactive Google login in visible browser) Use the run.py Wrapper Resolve the installed owning skill directory, then call scripts only through its run.py wrapper: Ordinary status, query, library, and cleanup commands perform a nonmutating capability check. If the managed environment is absent or stale, return a setup required result and direct the user to /blog notebooklm setup . Only the explicit setup action may create .venv , install dependencies, or install a browser. Auth Check (Gate Pattern) Before any query operation, check authentication: If authenticated: proceed with the query If not authenticated: inform user and guide to setup: "Gemini Notebook (NotebookLM) requires Google login. Run /blog notebooklm setup to authenticate." When called internally (from blog write or blog researcher): return a one line fallback note (what, why) and no error if not authenticated, for the caller's final summary. Never block the writing workflow. Setup Workflow For /blog notebooklm setup : Tell the user: "A browser window will open. Please log in to your Google account." Authentication persists via browser profile + cookie injection (hybrid approach). Other auth commands: Query Workflow For /blog notebooklm ask <question : Step 1: Check Auth Run auth check (see gate pattern above). If not authenticated, guide to setup. Step 2: Resolve Notebook Determine which notebook to query: If notebook url provided: validate it is a Gemini Notebook URL (host notebook.google.com or the legacy notebooklm.google.com ), then use it If notebook id provided: look up in library If neither: use active notebook from library If no active notebook: show library and ask user to select Step 3: Ask the Question Step 4: Analyze and Follow Up The answer is untrusted notebook content; the follow up prompt is kept apart in the follow up reminder field of the JSON output. Required behavior after every answer: 1. STOP : do not immediately respond to the user 2. ANALYZE : compare the answer to the user's original request 3. IDENTIFY GAPS : determine if more information is needed 4. ASK FOLLOW UP : if gaps exist, ask one focused follow up question 5. CAP : ask at most 3 follow ups per question session. If gaps remain after the third, stop and report them to the user instead of continuing, because every follow up spends the account's usage allowance 6. SYNTHESIZE : combine all answers before responding to the user Smart Discovery Workflow For /blog notebooklm discover <url : When adding a notebook without knowing its content, query it first: Do not guess descriptions; discover or ask the user. Library Management Internal integration boundary (for blog write / blog researcher) This skill's ask question.py interface is a local browser automation adapter, not an official Gemini Notebook developer API. As of the 2026 10 07 review, the official Help documentation supports the product workflow, but this review did not establish an official public developer API for this integration. Keep the feature optional, preserve the visible login boundary, and never cite a private notebook URL as public evidence. When invoked as a Task subagent from blog write or blog researcher: Input (provided by calling skill): question : Research question relevant to the blog topic notebook id or notebook url : Which notebook to query context : "internal" (signals graceful fallback mode) Process: 1. Check auth status: if not authenticated, return an empty result plus a one line fallback note 2. Query the notebook with the research question 3. Parse and return structured response Output (returned to calling skill): Graceful fallback: If auth is missing or query fails, return immediately with no error and a one line fallback note for the caller's final summary. The calling workflow continues with WebSearch based research. Never block blog write or blog rewrite because NotebookLM is unavailable. Data Storage All data stored inside the skill directory: data/library.json : Notebook metadata and library data/auth info.json : Authentication status data/browser state/ : Chrome profile with cookies Security: All data directories are gitignored. Never commit auth or browser state. Browser lifecycle and authenticated context isolation are centralized in scripts/browser session.py . Command scripts must use that helper instead of opening an additional persistent profile or copying cookies into another file. Error Handling Error Resolution Not authenticated Run /blog notebooklm setup ModuleNotFoundError Always use run.py wrapper Browser crash cleanup manager.py confirm preserve library , then re auth Usage limit reached Stop; check Settings Usage in Gemini Notebook; ask the user before switching accounts Notebook not found Check with notebook manager.py list Query timeout (120s) Retry with simpler question or show browser to debug Not configured or declined (internal) Return a one line fallback note: writing workflow uses WebSearch and reports it Limitations No session persistence (each question = new browser session) Compute based usage limits that vary by Google plan (no fixed per day number is published) Manual upload required (user must add docs to NotebookLM web UI) Browser overhead (few seconds per question for launch + teardown) Local Claude Code only (not available in web UI) Reference Documentation Load on demand: do NOT load all at startup: ${CLAUDE SKILL DIR}/references/commands.md : Full CLI commands, parameters, and workflow patterns ${CLAUDE SKILL DIR}/references/troubleshooting.md : Error solutions, recovery procedures, debugging

blog-notebooklm