Zotero Connector MCP Server

Knowledge & MemoryTypeScript

Access and search your Zotero library directly from Claude

Available Tools

get_collections

List all collections in your Zotero library

get_collection_items

Get items in a specific Zotero collection

get_item_details

Get detailed information about a specific paper in your Zotero library

search_library

Search your entire Zotero library for specific papers or topics

get_recent

Get recently added papers to your Zotero library

The Zotero Connector provides seamless integration between Claude and your Zotero library, allowing you to access your research collections, papers, and citations without leaving your AI assistant. With this MCP, Claude can browse your collections, search for specific papers, retrieve detailed information about items in your library, and access your most recently added research materials. This integration streamlines your research workflow by bringing your reference management system directly into your conversations with Claude.

Overview

The Zotero Connector MCP allows Claude to interact with your Zotero library, providing access to your research collections, papers, and citations. This integration enables a more efficient research workflow by allowing you to reference your academic sources directly in conversations with Claude.

Prerequisites

Before setting up the Zotero Connector, you'll need:

A Zotero account with an API key
Your Zotero user ID

Getting Your Zotero Credentials

Create an API key by visiting https://www.zotero.org/settings/keys
Use the API key to retrieve your user ID with the following command:

curl -H "Zotero-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" https://api.zotero.org/keys/current

The response will include your userID, which you'll need for configuration.

Verify your credentials work by testing:

curl -H "Zotero-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.zotero.org/users/YOUR_USER_ID/collections"

You should receive a list of your Zotero collections.

Installation

You can install the Zotero Connector globally using npm:

npm install -g mcp-zotero

Configuration

To use the Zotero Connector with Claude Desktop, you need to add it to your Claude Desktop configuration. The connector requires your Zotero API key and user ID as environment variables.

Add the following to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "mcp-zotero",
      "env": {
        "ZOTERO_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
        "ZOTERO_USER_ID": "your-user-id"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace your-api-key and your-user-id with your actual Zotero credentials.

Usage

Once configured, you can ask Claude to interact with your Zotero library using natural language. For example:

"Show me my Zotero collections"
"Search my Zotero library for papers on machine learning"
"Get details about the paper titled 'Attention is All You Need'"
"Show me my recently added papers in Zotero"

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with the Zotero Connector:

Verify your environment variables are correctly set:

echo $ZOTERO_API_KEY
echo $ZOTERO_USER_ID

Check that the package is properly installed:

npm list -g mcp-zotero

Try reinstalling the package:

npm uninstall -g mcp-zotero
npm install -g mcp-zotero

Ensure your API key has the necessary permissions (library access, file access, etc.) in your Zotero account settings.