Zotero

What can it do?

Zotero is a free tool that helps you collect, organize, cite, and share research sources.

This page provides information on how to download, install, and use the basic functions of this software. There is extensive online documentation and an excellent Quick Start Guide if you’d like to dig deeper and explore options for customizing your Zotero library.

Citation or reference managers can do the following:

• Manage citations/references
• Organize PDFs and notes
• Generate and format references, footnotes, and bibliographies
• Share your library and collaborate with others
• Save you time and frustration when wrangling research sources

Zotero is open source, meaning it was created by a community of researchers and developers, is available for free, and the code is available for anyone to inspect. Many libraries, including the Brown University Library, support this tool because it is flexible and easy to use, and you will be able to take it with you when you leave Brown.

The Library also supports EndNote, a subscription citation manager used primarily in the sciences.