diff --git a/include/library.h b/include/library.h
index 6425ba63d..53dec415a 100644
--- a/include/library.h
+++ b/include/library.h
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ class Library
   bool removeBookmark(const std::string& zimId, const std::string& url);
 
   Book& getBookById(const std::string& id);
+  Book& getBookByPath(const std::string& path);
   std::shared_ptr<Reader> getReaderById(const std::string& id);
 
   /**
diff --git a/include/searcher.h b/include/searcher.h
index 9c0058258..2d3a58f5c 100644
--- a/include/searcher.h
+++ b/include/searcher.h
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class Searcher
    * @param resultEnd the end offset of the search results (used for pagination).
    * @param verbose print some info on stdout if true.
    */
-  void search(std::string& search,
+  void search(const std::string& search,
               unsigned int resultStart,
               unsigned int resultEnd,
               const bool verbose = false);
diff --git a/src/library.cpp b/src/library.cpp
index fc027718d..0dad74794 100644
--- a/src/library.cpp
+++ b/src/library.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,18 @@ Book& Library::getBookById(const std::string& id)
   return m_books.at(id);
 }
 
+Book& Library::getBookByPath(const std::string& path)
+{
+  for(auto& it: m_books) {
+    auto& book = it.second;
+    if (book.getPath() == path)
+      return book;
+  }
+  std::ostringstream ss;
+  ss << "No book with path " << path << " in the library." << std::endl;
+  throw std::out_of_range(ss.str());
+}
+
 std::shared_ptr<Reader> Library::getReaderById(const std::string& id)
 {
   try {
diff --git a/src/searcher.cpp b/src/searcher.cpp
index 6802d6635..fb5eca13d 100644
--- a/src/searcher.cpp
+++ b/src/searcher.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ Reader* Searcher::get_reader(int readerIndex)
 }
 
 /* Search strings in the database */
-void Searcher::search(std::string& search,
+void Searcher::search(const std::string& search,
                       unsigned int resultStart,
                       unsigned int resultEnd,
                       const bool verbose)
diff --git a/test/library.cpp b/test/library.cpp
index 3f23df775..b4efc44a1 100644
--- a/test/library.cpp
+++ b/test/library.cpp
@@ -258,4 +258,12 @@ TEST_F(LibraryTest, filterCheck)
   EXPECT_EQ(bookIds.size(), 1U);
 
 }
+
+TEST_F(LibraryTest, getBookByPath)
+{
+  auto& book = lib.getBookById(lib.getBooksIds()[0]);
+  book.setPath("/some/abs/path.zim");
+  EXPECT_EQ(lib.getBookByPath("/some/abs/path.zim").getId(), book.getId());
+  EXPECT_THROW(lib.getBookByPath("non/existant/path.zim"), std::out_of_range);
+}
 };