---
title: "Fetch a public reading-list note (anon OK; 404 if private or absent)"
method: GET
path: "/api/reading-list/{slug}/notes/{username}"
---

# Fetch a public reading-list note (anon OK; 404 if private or absent)

`GET /api/reading-list/{slug}/notes/{username}`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://www.oxfordledge.com` (the document declares no server; this is the origin it was published from)
- URL: `https://www.oxfordledge.com/api/reading-list/{slug}/notes/{username}`
- Auth: none declared

Public read of /reading-list/<slug>/notes/<username>. Returns
404 for absent OR private notes — do NOT leak the existence of a
private note to anonymous readers (COUNSEL pair-review).

## Path parameters

- `slug` string, required
- `username` string, required

## Response `200`

Successful Response

- ReadingListNoteResponse: `GET /api/reading-list/<slug>/notes/<username>` — public read.
  - `status` string, required: 'ok' on success.
  - `note` ReadingListNote: A single user's note on a single reading-list entry. Spike: `docs/plans/A8_DESIGN_SPIKE_READING_LIST_ANNOTATIONS.md`. DB: `reading_list_notes` table (v77). Body is capped at 500 chars at the API layer (DESIGN ratification 2026-05-14); the DB column is unconstrained TEXT to let the cap rise without a migration.
    - `id` integer, required: Surrogate row ID.
    - `slug` string, required: Reading-list entry slug (e.g., 'most-important-thing-howard-marks').
    - `body` string, required: Note text (≤500 chars at the API layer).
    - `is_public` boolean, required: True if /reading-list/<slug>/notes/<username> is publicly indexable.
    - `created_at` string, nullable: ISO-8601 timestamp; absent on first POST until commit.
    - `updated_at` string, nullable: ISO-8601 timestamp.
    - `username` string, nullable: The note author's display username (public reads only).
  - `error` string, nullable: Why the read failed (e.g., 'not_found').

## Other responses

- `404`: Not Found
- `422`: Validation Error

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/oxfordledge/apis/oxford-ledge-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/oxfordledge/apis/oxford-ledge-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/oxfordledge/apis/oxford-ledge-api/revisions/e832a1260f0b?raw)