Zotero training notes

Notes from demo by Beth Filar Williams and Lea Leininger at Reference meeting -

Zotero

• Open source Firefox plug-in that captures web based bibliographic info on your computer
  
• Items can be saved, organized, edited in your computer's zotero library through an itunes like interface in Firefox
• Bibliography generation for MS Word and Google docs, blogs and wikis

Zotero basics

• Add an item automatically by clicking the paper/book/folder icons in URL toolbar. Create collection folders. Search full text including notes and sort by any variable. Choose Locate to find articles only @ uncg.
  
• Manually add an item either from a page you are viewing or something you have in hand. (click green + button and choose type). Input the item's info.
  
• Create a new item from current page. (click Create New Item button) Saves some basic info including the web link and snapshot of page.
• Other tools/icons: add a link, take a snapshot, add a note(s). Can drag and drop to another saved item.
• Snapshot tool: you can open any snapshot saved and then highlights items and add sticky notes to that page which will be saved (an extra toolbar appears at top of firefox with these tools)
  
• Also highlight text on a page, right mouse click, select "create zotero item and note." Unlimited amount of notes can be added.
  
• Create a stand-alone, quick bibliography: highlight items then either drag and drop into word/googledocs/openoffice/etc OR right mouse click, create bibliography, choose style)

Using Zotero with MS Word 2007

• Install plug-in to see Zotero commands under the Add-Ins tab in MS Word
• Use commands in MS Word Add-Ins tab to insert citations then generate a bibliography

Resources

• Zotero screencast tutorials: http://www.zotero.org/support/screencast_tutorials
• Zotero compatible databases and sites: http://www.zotero.org/translators
• Zotero/MS Word Integration (download and use instructions): http://www.zotero.org/support/microsoft_word_integration
• Available citation styles: http://www.zotero.org/styles
• U Mich Libs' nifty Faculty Exploratory has a long guide to Getting Started with Zotero (pdf)

Support
There is no official support person for Zotero at UNCG (i.e., person who takes responsibility for promoting the software, training staff, faculty and students, creating and maintaining a guide to the software) BUT Lea and Beth can answer basic questions and they encourage subject librarians to do the same for faculty and students in their areas.

-Lea