The LexisNexis Academic Web Services API (WSApi) - known colloquially as the LexisNexis REST API and formerly called the LexisNexis Web Services Kit ("WSK") - is a subscription service that allows researchers to text mine LexisNexis' full text news collections. It is an optimal choice for those who need to mine the most current news sources ("LexisNexis Licensed News").
Access to LexisNexis text data is mediated by both NYU Libraries and LexisNexis' staff. The timeliness of provisioning access and support is dependent upon LexisNexis' current workload. As such, time-sensitive requests for access to the API are strongly discouraged and may not be able to be accommodated.
Using the API requires technical skills, including basic-to-intermediate fluency with Python, JSON, and XML.
| Content | Scope note | Subscribed? |
|---|---|---|
| LexisNexis Licensed News (Negative & General News) | Current and historical licensed news (40+ yr archive) from premium, global media sources; including local, regional, national, international, and industry news - real time or archives. | ✅ |
| Open Web Sources | Online/social/news and fair use data from the open web; including select social media. | ❌ |
| Company Reports & Dossiers | Financial information, corporate hierarchies, executive/director relationships for public and private organizations around the globe. | ❌ |
| Agency Decisions | Agency enforcement actions imposing sanctions on individuals/organizations. | ❌ |
| Federal & State Dockets | Individual and entity litigation history by accessing State & Federal court dockets. | ❌ |
| Legal Cases | Federal and state court cases—civil and criminal—as well as international courts from 14 jurisdictions and the UN International Court of Justice. | ❌ |
| Biographical Information | Personal, educational, and professional history of top corporate officers and other influential individuals. | ❌ |
| Global PEPs, Sanctions, Blacklists and Watchlists | For individuals and entities across watchlists or blacklists originating from 80+ countries and translated from multiple languages | ❌ |
| Patents | ❌ | |
| Broadcast Media | Two year archive of tv/radio transcripts. | ❌ |
Are you a PhD student or faculty member with funding (or are applying for funding) and want a quote for a custom, one-time data pull from one of the content areas to which NYU does not subscribe? Let us know and we can connect you with our NYU LexisNexis REST API representatives.
