Citation Management with Zotero

Please note: This guide has been updated for Zotero 7, which has more features and a slightly different look and feel. For more information about Zotero 7, visit: https://www.zotero.org/blog/zotero-7/.

(The information you find here is still largely applicable with earlier versions.)

Zotero 7.0 is the current version of Zotero. It's a standalone program, or "client," that works in conjunction with a browser extension called the Zotero Connector. The most efficient process, outlined below, is to create your Zotero account and then complete the installation process.

Step 1: Register for a Zotero account

You can use whatever email address you prefer to set it up. Be sure to write down your username and password. After registering, go to your email and activate your account.

Step 2: Download Zotero 7.0 for your computer

• Open the downloaded file and install Zotero. It will open automatically once installed.
• Please note! At this point your default web browser will open. Close or minimize your browser and complete the final part of Step 2 before you move on to Step 3.
• In Zotero, you'll see a Welcome to Zotero! message. Click on the blue Set up syncing link in the message and login with your Zotero username and password, then click OK.
• If you use a Mac, quit Zotero and restart it to ensure the Microsoft Word integration takes effect.

Step 3: Install Zotero Connector for your browser

If you use Chrome, Firefox, or Edge:

• Using your preferred browser, go to the link below and click the button to install the Zotero Connector.
• If you then don't see the Connector in your toolbar, follow your browser's instructions to pin it there.

If you use Safari:

1. Go to the Safari menu, choose Preferences, then choose Extensions. Check the box next to the Zotero Connector to enable it.
2. Go to the View menu, choose Customize toolbar, and drag the Zotero Connector extension to your toolbar.
3. If you do not see the Zotero Connector in your available extensions, you may need to remove the Zotero application and reinstall it; this is a known issue with Safari, so if you run into trouble, consider using Chrome or Firefox instead.

Under the Edit menu, choose Settings (Windows/Linux); on a Mac, under the Zotero menu, choose Settings.

Select Sync, enter your account information, and press the Set Up Syncing button. Zotero will then sync your library and files automatically to zotero.org and on any other computers on which you have Zotero installed.

To change the default font size, which is very small, go to the View menu, choose Font Size, and make it Bigger.

To streamline the process of getting full text articles from the library, modify the OpenURL link resolver in your Settings.

Under the Edit menu (or "Zotero" menu on Mac), choose Settings and select General. In the General tab, under Locate, use the drop down in the Resolver field to find and select UConn (North America > United States > University of Connecticut (UConn)). In the Base URL field, you will see: https://webservices.lib.uconn.edu/redirect/. 

This will enable you to use the Locate menu to easily access the library's full text articles and place interlibrary loan requests for items we don't own. The Locate menu is the grey arrow beside the right-hand details pane in Zotero; changing the link resolver modifies the Library Lookup option in the Locate menu.

Zotero's ability to locate, automatically import, and store digital files is a valuable feature. Your Zotero account has 300 MB of free storage; after that, they offer a tiered pricing plan.

Zotero strongly recommends you back up your data in addition to syncing it.