mcp-zotero

mcp-zotero is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Zotero integration, allowing Claude to interact with the user's Zotero library. It primarily addresses the need to directly access and manage collections and literature sources on Zotero Cloud within Claude.

Main Capabilities

The server provides the following available tools:

• get_collections: List all collections in the library.
• get_collection_items: Retrieve items in a specific collection.
• get_item_details: Retrieve detailed information about a paper.
• search_library: Search the entire library.
• get_recent: Retrieve recently added papers.

Usage

1. Obtain Zotero credentials:

   • In https://www.zotero.org/settings/keys create an API key.
   • Use the key to obtain the user ID:

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

     Example response:

     {
       "userID": 123456,
       "username": "your_username",
       "access": {
         "user": {
           "library": true,
           "files": true,
           "notes": true,
           "write": true
         }
       }
     }
     

     The userID value is the one needed.

2. Set environment variables:

   export ZOTERO_API_KEY="your-api-key"
   export ZOTERO_USER_ID="user-id-from-curl"
   

3. Verify credentials:

   curl -H "Zotero-API-Key: $ZOTERO_API_KEY" \
     "https://api.zotero.org/users/$ZOTERO_USER_ID/collections"
   

   The response should display the list of collections.

4. Install and run:

   # 全局安装（推荐）
   npm install -g mcp-zotero
   mcp-zotero
   
   # 或直接使用 npx 运行
   npx mcp-zotero
   

5. Integrate with Claude Desktop: Add the corresponding configuration in the Claude Desktop configuration to use it.

Applicable Scenarios

Suitable for researchers, students, or writers who need to consult, search, or manage Zotero library literature in Claude, allowing them to quickly obtain collection structure, paper details, and recently added content.

Limitations

This tool relies on a Zotero API key and user ID, and requires a valid Zotero account and network connection. Its functional scope is limited to the five tools described in the materials; other capabilities are not currently provided.