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zotero

Query and retrieve items, collections, and citations from Zotero libraries via the Web API.

1|Updated Jul 13, 2026
Search Tags:#api#zotero#reference management#bibliography#citations#systematic review#bibtex
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/thurlow-research/ResearchClaudeCodeSkills --skill zotero-thurlow-research
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: zotero
Source: https://github.com/thurlow-research/ResearchClaudeCodeSkills/tree/main/desktop/skills/zotero
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/thurlow-research/ResearchClaudeCodeSkills --skill zotero-thurlow-research

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Accessing a Zotero reference library programmatically requires handling API authentication, pagination, collection keys, and rate limits by hand. This Skill wraps the Zotero Web API in a single Python CLI so you can search items, list collections, export bibliographies, and read attachments with one command, directly from a conversation. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Library Querying: List collections, search items, filter by tag, and fetch single items with attachments across personal and group libraries, with name-based collection resolution via a local registry. - Citation Export: Export items as BibTeX, RIS, or CSL-JSON using Zotero's server-side formatters, with token-efficient field projection and a version-validated local cache. - Systematic Review Support: Built-in PRISMA-style counting, review-scope listing, cross-source deduplication, and discard-collection exclusion for screening workflows. - Use Case: Ask "how many papers are in my Keep collection" or "export a BibTeX file for the AI governance collection" and get an accurate, deduplicated answer without opening the Zotero client. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to list the collections in your Zotero library and count the items tagged to-read, providing your Zotero API key and user ID as environment variables.

Frequently Asked Questions about zotero

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I search my Zotero library from the command line?▼

Run the zotero.py CLI with the search subcommand, passing your API key and library ID as environment variables. It supports full-text quick search, tag filters, collection scoping, and JSON or table output formats.

How do I export a Zotero collection to BibTeX?▼

Use the export subcommand with --format bibtex, ris, or csljson, optionally scoped to a collection name or key. Zotero's server-side formatters handle edge cases like non-Latin names and multi-author entries.

Does the Zotero API work with group libraries?▼

Yes, group libraries work identically to personal libraries. Set the library type to group and provide the numeric group ID, either via environment variables or a YAML registry file that maps library names to IDs.

Why does my Zotero item count differ from the desktop client?▼

The API's /items endpoint includes child attachments and notes while the desktop sidebar shows top-level items only. Query /items/top with limit=1 and read the Total-Results header for a count matching the client.

Can the skill write or modify items in my Zotero library?▼

Writes are possible through tag-add and create-items subcommands, but both are dry-run by default and require an explicit --commit flag plus a write-scoped API key. Read operations are the default and never modify the library.

Why does a parent Zotero collection return zero items?▼

The Zotero API does not aggregate descendant collections; items belong to leaf collections only. To count a subtree, enumerate its leaf collections and union their item keys rather than summing per-collection counts.

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