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Connect Zotero to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Control your entire citation library through natural conversation.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

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Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

ChatGPTClaudeCursorPerplexityGeminiMicrosoft CopilotRaycastMeta AI

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

A futuristic MCP client docking bay
V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 23 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 06

01-04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 23 available through Zotero.

  1. 01

    Create items

    This capability adds new items to your Zotero library. Use the template capability first to ensure the data matches the required schema.

  2. 02

    Get collection

    This capability retrieves a specific collection using its unique key.

  3. 03

    Get new item template

    This capability provides a JSON template for creating new items of a specific type.

  4. 04

    List items

    This capability returns a list of items currently in your Zotero library.

Capability set02 / 06

05-08

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 23 available through Zotero.

  1. 05

    List item tags

    This capability retrieves all tags associated with a specific item.

  2. 06

    Delete items

    This capability removes up to 50 items from your library at once.

  3. 07

    Get deleted

    This capability fetches objects that were deleted since a specific library version.

  4. 08

    Get item type fields

    This capability lists the valid fields available for a specific item type.

Capability set03 / 06

09-12

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 23 available through Zotero.

  1. 09

    Get tag

    This capability finds tags that match a specific name.

  2. 10

    List collection items

    This capability shows all items contained within a specific collection.

  3. 11

    List collections

    This capability returns a list of all collections in your library.

  4. 12

    List item children

    This capability retrieves child items, such as notes or attachments, for a specific item.

Capability set04 / 06

13-16

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 23 available through Zotero.

  1. 13

    List item fields

    This capability provides a list of all available fields for Zotero items.

  2. 14

    List item types

    This capability lists all available item types in Zotero.

  3. 15

    List publications

    This capability retrieves the items located in your My Publications folder.

  4. 16

    List subcollections

    This capability lists the subcollections found within a specific collection.

Capability set05 / 06

17-20

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 23 available through Zotero.

  1. 17

    List tags

    This capability returns every tag used in your library.

  2. 18

    List top collections

    This capability shows only the top-level collections in your library.

  3. 19

    List top items

    This capability retrieves top-level items from your library.

  4. 20

    Update item

    This capability performs a partial update on an existing item.

Capability set06 / 06

21-23

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 23 available through Zotero.

  1. 21

    Get item

    This capability fetches the details of a specific item using its key.

  2. 22

    Delete item

    This capability removes a single item from your library.

  3. 23

    List trash items

    This capability shows the items currently sitting in your trash.

Real work

What teams actually run

01

Literature Reviews

Ask your agent to find all papers tagged with a specific topic to quickly compile a reading list.

02

Citation Generation

Have your agent pull the exact publication details needed for a bibliography.

03

Library Cleanup

Use the agent to delete outdated items or reorganize collections via chat.

04

Note Extraction

Retrieve specific notes or attachments linked to a research item.

Automate a task

Put Zotero to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

Zotero works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

ClaudeClaudeChatGPTChatGPTGeminiGeminiPerplexityPerplexityGrokGrokMicrosoft CopilotMicrosoft CopilotCursorCursorVS CodeVS CodeWindsurfWindsurfJetBrainsJetBrainsClineClineLangChainLangChainVercel AI SDKVercel AI SDKLovableLovableZ.aiZ.aiRaycastRaycastQwen CodeQwen CodeKimi CodeKimi CodeLe ChatLe Chat

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put Zotero to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

1145ms average. Fast in production.

Zotero is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1481ms
Oct 3Today
Fastest day
882ms
Slowest day
1481ms
14-day trend
Stable+1%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 23 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of Zotero, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with Zotero. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

Zotero Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_l1RjtHg84zZ6guqnNSXTgCcB6Ebkh26WQ194w3JW/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Zotero capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_l1RjtHg84zZ6guqnNSXTgCcB6Ebkh26WQ194w3JW/mcp"
    }
  }
}
  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up Zotero in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work Zotero owners hand off.

This MCP is built for anyone managing large volumes of academic or professional references through Zotero.

  • 01

    Researchers

    Find citations and organize papers without leaving the writing interface.

  • 02

    Students

    Manage reading lists and extract metadata for bibliographies via chat.

  • 03

    Knowledge Workers

    Centralize document management and reference tracking in an AI workspace.

FAQ

Questions Zotero owners ask.

  • 01

    How do I connect my Zotero library?

    You need to subscribe to the MCP on Vinkius and enter your Zotero API Key and User ID. Once connected, it is ready to use in your AI client.

  • 02

    Which AI clients can I use with this MCP?

    You can use this with any MCP-compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.

  • 03

    Can I manage group libraries?

    Yes, you can switch between your personal library and shared group libraries by using specific group IDs.

  • 04

    Can the AI delete items for me?

    Yes, the MCP includes capabilities to delete single items or batches of up to 50 items.

  • 05

    Does this work with my existing Zotero tags?

    Yes, the agent can list, search, and manage your existing tags to help organize your library.

  • 06

    Can I search for specific items in my library using keywords?

    Yes! Use the list_items capability with the q parameter. It performs a quick search across titles and creators to find exactly what you need.

  • 07

    How do I view the subcollections nested inside a main collection?

    Simply use the list_subcollections capability and provide the collection_key of the parent collection. The agent will return all nested folders.

  • 08

    Does this support shared group libraries or only my personal library?

    It supports both! Most capabilities, like list_collections or list_items, accept an optional group_id. If provided, the agent will query that specific group library instead of your personal one.

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