diff --git a/oml/item/api.py b/oml/item/api.py
index 7cfcfdf..117d591 100644
--- a/oml/item/api.py
+++ b/oml/item/api.py
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ import settings
 import state
 from websocket import trigger_event
 
-import meta
+#import meta
+import metaremote as meta
 
 import utils
 
diff --git a/oml/item/models.py b/oml/item/models.py
index 49460bf..edddf08 100644
--- a/oml/item/models.py
+++ b/oml/item/models.py
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ from settings import db, config
 from person import get_sort_name
 
 import media
-import meta
+
+#import meta
+import metaremote as meta
 
 import state
 import utils
diff --git a/oml/metaremote.py b/oml/metaremote.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7330919
--- /dev/null
+++ b/oml/metaremote.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# vi:si:et:sw=4:sts=4:ts=4
+from __future__ import division
+
+import json
+from ox.cache import read_url
+from urllib import urlencode
+
+import logging
+logger = logging.getLogger('metaremote')
+
+def request(action, data):
+        data = urlencode({
+            'action': action,
+            'data': json.dumps(data)
+        })
+        url = 'http://meta.openmedialibrary.com/api/'
+        try:
+            return json.loads(read_url(url, data))['data']
+        except:
+            return {}
+
+def find(query):
+    logger.debug('find %s', query)
+    return request('findMetadata', {'query': query})['items']
+
+def lookup(key, value):
+    logger.debug('lookup %s %s', key, value)
+    return request('getMetadata', {key: value})
diff --git a/oml/metaserver.py b/oml/metaserver.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bca3cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/oml/metaserver.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# vi:si:et:sw=4:sts=4:ts=4
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+from tornado.web import Application
+from tornado.httpserver import HTTPServer
+from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
+from flask import Flask
+
+import oxtornado
+from oxtornado import actions
+
+import meta
+import utils
+
+import logging
+logger = logging.getLogger('metaoml')
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+
+def findMetadata(data):
+    '''
+        takes {
+            query: string,
+        }
+        returns {
+            items: [{
+                key: value
+            }]
+        }
+        key is one of the supported identifiers: isbn10, isbn13...
+    '''
+    response = {}
+    logger.debug('findMetadata %s', data)
+    response['items'] = meta.find(data['query'])
+    return response
+actions.register(findMetadata)
+
+def getMetadata(data):
+    '''
+        takes {
+            key: value
+            includeEdits: boolean
+        }
+        key can be one of the supported identifiers: isbn10, isbn13, oclc, olid,...
+    '''
+    logger.debug('getMetadata %s', data)
+    if 'includeEdits' in data:
+        include_edits = data.pop('includeEdits')
+    else:
+        include_edits = False
+    key, value = data.iteritems().next()
+    if key == 'isbn':
+        value = utils.normalize_isbn(value)
+    response = meta.lookup(key, value)
+    if response:
+        response['primaryid'] = [key, value]
+    return response
+actions.register(getMetadata)
+
+def run():
+    root_dir = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), '..'))
+
+    options = {
+        'debug': True
+    }
+    app = Flask('metaoml')
+
+    handlers = [
+        (r'/api/', oxtornado.ApiHandler, dict(app=app)),
+    ]
+
+    http_server = HTTPServer(Application(handlers, **options))
+
+    port = 9855
+    address = ''
+    http_server.listen(port, '')
+
+
+    main = IOLoop.instance()
+
+    if ':' in address:
+        host = '[%s]' % address
+    elif not address:
+        host = '[::1]'
+    else:
+        host = address
+    url = 'http://%s:%s/' % (host, port)
+    print url
+    main.start()
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    run()
diff --git a/oml/oxtornado.py b/oml/oxtornado.py
index 2a12d8d..f71e47f 100644
--- a/oml/oxtornado.py
+++ b/oml/oxtornado.py
@@ -87,7 +87,11 @@ def api_task(app, request, callback):
         f = actions.get(action)
         if f:
             with app.app_context():
-                response = f(data)
+                try:
+                    response = f(data)
+                except:
+                    logger.debug('FAILED %s %s', action, data, exc_info=1)
+                    response = json_response(status=500, text='%s failed' % action)
         else:
             response = json_response(status=400, text='Unknown action %s' % action)
     callback(response)
diff --git a/oml/settings.py b/oml/settings.py
index 462ba1b..9fddf29 100644
--- a/oml/settings.py
+++ b/oml/settings.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ server_defaults = {
     'extract_text': True,
     'localnode_discovery': True,
     'directory_service': 'http://[2a01:4f8:120:3201::3]:25519',
-    'lookup_service': 'http://data.openmedialibrary.com',
+    'meta_service': 'http://meta.openmedialibrary.com/api/',
 }
 
 for key in server_defaults: