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lookup

Query local Zotero library first with optional external fallback for literature search.

5|2|Updated Jan 22, 2026
Search Tags:#academic writing#BibTeX#research-lookup#literature lookup#Zotero#unified search#external fallback
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/hyperbolic-c/auto-writing --skill lookup
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: lookup
Source: https://github.com/hyperbolic-c/auto-writing/tree/main/claude-scientific-writer/skills/lookup
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/hyperbolic-c/auto-writing --skill lookup

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill unifies literature searching by querying the local Zotero library first and automatically falling back to external sources when configured, reducing manual switching and ensuring access to broader results.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Local-first search: semantically searches your Zotero library (via zotero-mcp) with an option to use semantic or keyword matching and sorts results by year.
  • Automatic external fallback: if local results are empty and OPENROUTER_API_KEY is configured, queries external databases and returns a unified set of papers.
  • Unified output & Citations: outputs a consistent structure with BibTeX data, deduplication, and a single result format suitable for writing workflows. Use Case: A researcher wants to assemble relevant citations for a literature review without manually coordinating local and external sources.

Quick Start

Use the UnifiedLiteratureLookup to search for papers: from scientific_writer import UnifiedLiteratureLookup lookup = UnifiedLiteratureLookup() result = lookup.search("transformer attention") for paper in result.papers: print(paper.title)

Frequently Asked Questions about lookup

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I search my Zotero library and external databases for literature at the same time?▼

Unified literature lookup queries your local Zotero library first and automatically falls back to external sources when local results are empty, returning a single deduplicated list of papers.

Can I get BibTeX citations from a combined local and external literature search?▼

Yes, unified literature lookup outputs a consistent result format that includes BibTeX citation data for every returned paper, suitable for direct use in academic writing workflows.

What is the best way to find research papers in Zotero using semantic or keyword matching?▼

Literature lookup semantically searches your Zotero library with an option for keyword matching and sorts results by year, ensuring you retrieve relevant local hits efficiently.

Do I need an OPENROUTER_API_KEY to search external databases for my literature review?▼

You need an OPENROUTER_API_KEY configured to enable automatic external fallback for querying external databases when your local Zotero library returns no matching results.

How does deduplication work when combining Zotero search results with external papers?▼

Deduplication processes both local Zotero hits and external fallback results to return a unified set of papers in a consistent format, preventing duplicate entries in your literature review.

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