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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Zotero

Learn how to use Zotero, a free citation management tool.

Groups

Zotero's Group feature lets you share references with other Zotero users.

  1. Ensure your Zotero library is synced using the green 'sync' icon.
  2. Log in at zotero.org.
  3. Search for existing public groups or create a new group.
    • Groups may be:
      • public (anyone can view your group and join searchable).
      • private (only members can view your group online and must be invited to join).
      • private with closed membership (anyone can view your group online, but members must apply to join or be invited).
  4. You should now have two sections in your Zotero collections pane: "My Library" and "Group Libraries". You can drag items back and forth between them at will.

Public Libraries and RSS Feeds

Making Your Library Public

If you want to share your library but don't want others to add to it, you can change the settings of your library to make it public.

  1. Login to your online Zotero account at www.zotero.org/user/login.
  2. Click on 'Settings' in the upper right-hand corner.
  3. Click on 'Privacy.'
  4. Select the box next to 'Publish your library' and click 'Update settings' to complete the change.
    • Here you also have the option to publish notes attached to your references by selecting 'Publish notes' and then clicking 'Update settings'.

Now your Zotero library is public and you can send the URL to others so they can see your library!

Subscribing to Libraries via RSS Feeds

If you've made your library public, others can subscribe to your library feed through something called an RSS feed! You can use RSS feeds to get automatic updates when someone adds content to a library you are subscribed to.

To subscribe to a Zotero library RSS feed:

  1. Go to the public library you would like to follow.
  2. Click 'Subscribe to this feed' on the left underneath the list library folders and tags.
  3. Choose how you would like to subscribe to the feed by clicking on the drop-down menu and selecting one of the options. You can subscribe via live bookmarks, a specific application, or My Yahoo!.
  4. Once you've selected how you want to subscribe, click 'Subscribe now'.

Now you are set up to get automatic updates from the public Zotero library of your choice!