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Research Management Systems: Zotero

This guide provides an overview of bibliographic or citation management software including links to tutorials and guides for using, among others: RefWorks, Endnote, Zotero and Mendeley.

About Zotero

Zotero is a free, online citation management system. It was designed to be a Firefox plug in but can also be used with diffrent browsers. Zotero allows you to capture the citation for a webpage or database article as you are viewing it in your browser. You can also attach PDFs, images and other documents to your citations.


You do need to register your Zotero account to sync up to the web version allowing you to access your library of items from anywhere.

See Falvey Library's guide to Zotero for step-by-step instructions on importing and formatting records.

How Do I Get Zotero?

Zotero is a free product available to anyone. To take advantage of Zotero's full capabilities (including higher file storage limits for PDFs) you must download both the Desktop App AND a browser "connector" (extension/add-on). Using just the browser connector may cause problems with file storage and sharing your Zotero entries with other users. You can find links to both the Desktop App and the Connectors below for a variety of operating systems and browsers:

Step One: Download the Desktop App

Step Two: Add your Browser Extension or Add-on (allows for direct importing of records)

Step 3: Download a Plug-in for Additional Functionality (optional--can also be added later!)

  • Microsoft Word plug in: format your citations as you type
  • Barcode Scanner for scanning book UPCs with iPad/iPhone to add them to your Zotero library

Zotero Technical Support

Intro to Zotero & Juris-M Presentation

PowerPoint slides from presentation to the faculty.

Blue Book Citation on Zotero

Zotero does not have Blue Book style in its default citation style options but you can use an "add-on" to format your citations according to Bluebook. Follow the steps below or consider using the Juris-M overlay for Zotero.

1. Download Zotero

2. Click on the Zotero icon at the bottom of your screen to open the zotero pane.

3. Locate the "gear" icon (Action menu) and click on "Preferences"

4. Click on the "Cite" button (the icon looks like an open folder).

5. Click on the "Styles tab"

6. Click on "Get Additional Styles" tab

7. Search for Bluebook Law Review style and click Install

8. Click OK

You can also download other legal citation styles, such as the Canadian Uniform Legal Citation Guide or the Oxford Standard for Legal Citation from CitationStylist

NOTE: No citation management service provides perfect Bluebook citations but they do give you a starting point.