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Zotero

This guide curates information and tutorials on using Zotero to manage your sources and includes information on using Zotero with University of Alabama Libraries tools.

Using the Zotero Connector

The Zotero Connector allows you to easily import sources to your Zotero library from library catalogs, databases, and websites.

Make sure you have Zotero open and the connector installed in your browser. When you're on the page for a single item in a database or library catalog, click the save button in your browser's toolbar to save its information in your library. The button's icon will change based on the type of item you're looking at--a page for a journal article, a book for a book in a catalog, etc.

Zotero connector icon will look like a sheet of paper when saving an articl. 

 When searching for a journal article or similar sources, the icon will look like a sheet of paper. 

 

Zotero connector icon in the shape of a file folder. This happens when saving multiple sources at once from a results page.

 

When saving multiple items and other source types, the icon will look like a file folder.

 

Add Multiple Items

You can use the connector to add several items from a list of search results when the Zotero connector shows a folder icon. Click on the icon to see a list of the items on your page and select the ones you would like to add. 

 

Browser window showing a Zotero connector pop-up. At the top, the Zotero connector icon is highlighted with a red square. Below, a dialog box titled “Select which items you’d like to add to your library” displays a vertical checklist of multiple article titles, each with an empty checkbox. At the bottom of the dialog box are two buttons labeled “Select All” and “Deselect All” on the left, and “Cancel” and “OK” on the right.

 

When you see multiple items you would like to add to your library, you can click the checkmarks next to each item of your choice. There are select all and deselect all features that are also useful and are found at the bottom of the checklist. Then, on the bottom right-hand side, press OK if you are ready to proceed or cancel if you do not wish to make any changes.

 

Dialog box titled “Select which items you’d like to add to your library” with a vertical checklist of items, some checked and others unchecked. Buttons at the bottom include Select All, Deselect All, Cancel, and OK.

 

Using an Identifier (ISBN, DOI, etc.)

Click on the magic wand icon in the top menu bar of Zotero and enter the identifier of the item. You can enter multiple identifiers at once by placing them on separate lines (hit shift + enter/return between each identifier).

 

Zotero desktop window showing the “My Library” collection. In the top menu bar, the magic wand icon is highlighted with a red square. Below, a pop-up input box appears with the instruction “Enter ISBNs, DOIs, PMIDs, arXiv IDs, or ADS Bibcodes to add to your library,” and an empty text field for entering identifiers.

 

Add Items Manually

If the Zotero connector doesn't recognize the item, or you have a physical book or other item that you'd like to add to your library, you can add an item manually by clicking on the icon with the sheet of paper with the plus sign along the top menu bar in Zotero, selecting the item type, and entering the information.

Zotero desktop window showing the “My Library” collection. In the top menu bar, the icon with a sheet of paper is highlighted with a red square. A dropdown menu is open below the icon, indicating that you can manually add an item by clicking this button.

Video Tutorial

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