select_notebook · Notebooklm MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What select_notebook does on Notebooklm

AI agents use select_notebook to create or update resources in Notebooklm — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Notebooklm environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why select_notebook needs a policy

The tool changes application state (the active/default notebook selection) but does not create, delete, or irreversibly alter data. This is a Write operation because it modifies configuration/state in a way that can be undone by selecting a different notebook.

From the tool's definition 'Mark a notebook as the active default' - this modifies state by changing which notebook is the active/selected one, a reversible operation.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

select_notebook Rate-limited

select_notebook stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "select_notebook": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "select_notebook_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Notebooklm, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about select_notebook

What does the select_notebook tool do? +

Mark a notebook as the active default. After this,. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Notebooklm MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on select_notebook? +

Register the Notebooklm MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for select_notebook: 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 Notebooklm. Nothing to install.

What risk level is select_notebook? +

select_notebook is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit select_notebook? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the select_notebook 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 select_notebook completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for select_notebook. 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 select_notebook? +

select_notebook is provided by the Notebooklm MCP server (notebooklm-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.