zotero-mcp

Overview

zotero-mcp is a Python implementation of the Model Context Protocol that enables AI assistants to interact with Zotero libraries. It provides three main tools: searching items, retrieving item metadata, and accessing full text content from PDFs. The server supports both local Zotero API and web API connections, offering flexibility in deployment options. Installation is straightforward with multiple methods including uvx, pipx, and Docker.

Try asking AI

After installing, here are 5 things you can ask your AI assistant:

• zotero_search_items

  Search for items in your Zotero library using a text query

  Try:Find articles about machine learningTry:Search for papers by Smith on climate change
• zotero_item_metadata

  Get detailed metadata information about a specific Zotero item

  Try:Show me the metadata for item 12345Try:Get details about this citation
• zotero_item_fulltext

  Get the full text content of a specific Zotero item

  Try:Retrieve the full text of PDF document 67890Try:Show me the content of this article

Comparable tools

Installation

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--upgrade", "zotero-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ZOTERO_LOCAL": "true",
        "ZOTERO_API_KEY": "",
        "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID": ""
      }
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "-e", "ZOTERO_API_KEY=PLACEHOLDER",
        "-e", "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID=PLACEHOLDER",
        "ghcr.io/kujenga/zotero-mcp:main"
      ],
    }
  }
}

FAQ

What's the difference between local API and web API?

Local API connects directly to the Zotero desktop application (needs Zotero running), which can be more responsive. Web API uses your Zotero account credentials and doesn't require the desktop app to be running.

Do I need a Zotero Beta Build for full text access?

Yes, if you want to use the local API for full text retrieval. This will change when Zotero 7.1 is officially released. Alternatively, you can use the Web API instead without needing the Beta build.

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