read_documents

Read documents from Glean by ID or URL Example request: "documentSpecs": [ { "id": "doc-123", }, { "url": "https://example.com/doc2" } ]

Server Local @gleanwork/local-mcp-server
Category Read
Risk class Low
Parameters 11 required

What read_documents does on Local

AI agents call read_documents to retrieve information from Local without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
documentSpecs array Yes List of document specifications to retrieve

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

Why read_documents needs a policy

This tool retrieves or queries documents by identifier without any side effects. It performs a passive read operation on existing data, matching the 'Read' category definition. The low severity reflects that retrieval of documents alone poses minimal risk unless the documents themselves contain highly sensitive information, which is not indicated in the tool description.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'read_documents' and description states 'Read documents from Glean by ID or URL' with no modification, deletion, or execution capabilities indicated.

Questions about read_documents

What does the read_documents tool do? +

Read documents from Glean by ID or URL Example request: "documentSpecs": [ { "id": "doc-123", }, { "url": "https://example.com/doc2" } ]. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Local MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

What parameters does read_documents accept? +

read_documents accepts 1 parameter: documentSpecs. Required: documentSpecs. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on read_documents? +

Register the Local MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for read_documents: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Local. Nothing to install.

What risk level is read_documents? +

read_documents is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit read_documents? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the read_documents rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block read_documents completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for read_documents. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides read_documents? +

read_documents is provided by the Local MCP server (@gleanwork/local-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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