How to Use the Zotero MCP in Claude

Q: How do I list my major Zotero collections using Claude Desktop?

You call the listcollections tool. It returns a list of all top-level collection keys in your library. This gives you an immediate map of where your research is organized.

Q: If I want to delete several Zotero items, can Claude Desktop handle that?

Yes. You use the deleteitems tool. It handles bulk deletion for up to fifty items at once. Just provide the list of keys and it executes the cleanup.

Q: Can I find specific notes linked to a Zotero item using Claude Desktop?

The listitemchildren tool handles that. You give it an item's key, and it lists all associated child records—notes, attachments, etc.—allowing your agent to gather all related context.

Manage your research citations and library directly from Claude Desktop.

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Connect Zotero MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect Zotero to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup Zotero with Claude Desktop

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Build Research Pipelines in Claude Desktop

The `list_collections` tool lets you map out the structure of your entire Zotero library. You can quickly see which top-level collections exist, giving you a clear overview before writing any code. Since this server runs as a subprocess on your local machine, Claude Desktop has direct access to run complex data queries against your installed Zotero database.

Update and Organize References

Need to correct an item's date or add a missing author? Use the `update_item` tool to modify specific fields on existing references. You just provide the key and the patch data, and it handles the rest. This means you don't have to open Zotero manually; your agent can apply granular changes like modifying an item’s tags or updating a collection membership.

Deep Dive into Item Details

When you use `list_item_children`, the server pulls notes, attachments, and related items linked to a single reference. This is huge for context gathering. Your agent can pull deep data sets—for instance, listing all child notes associated with a specific academic paper—so you get everything in one go.

Setup guide

Set up Zotero MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The Zotero MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the Zotero MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under zotero-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by Zotero. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about Zotero MCP in Claude Desktop

You call the `list_collections` tool. It returns a list of all top-level collection keys in your library. This gives you an immediate map of where your research is organized.

Yes. You use the `delete_items` tool. It handles bulk deletion for up to fifty items at once. Just provide the list of keys and it executes the cleanup.

The `list_item_children` tool handles that. You give it an item's key, and it lists all associated child records—notes, attachments, etc.—allowing your agent to gather all related context.

This MCP Server manages citation metadata, including collection structures, item attributes (authors, dates), tags, and associated notes. It touches your local reference library data.

No; the server is self-contained. When using Claude Desktop, the agent interacts with citation metadata and collection structures via subprocesses running on your machine.

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