How do I install the Zotero MCP skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add lord1egypt/zotero-mcp in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Zotero MCP safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: makes network calls. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Zotero MCP?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Zotero MCP free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Zotero MCP?

Lord1Egypt (@lord1egypt) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Zotero MCP by lord1egypt — Agent Skill

Name: Zotero MCP
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: Lord1Egypt

Zotero MCP

Search and access Zotero reference library via MCP (Model Context Protocol) server. Use when working with Zotero literature databases, searching papers, getting item details, managing collections, or extracting PDF content and annotations. Requires Zotero running with API enabled (Edit, Preferences, Advanced, Network: Allow other applications to access Zotero).

Lord1Egypt Updated Sep 8, 2026 2 repo stars

File contents

Zotero MCP Skill

This skill provides tools to interact with your Zotero library via the MCP (Model Context Protocol) server.

Prerequisites

Zotero must be running with API enabled:
- Open Zotero → Edit → Preferences → Advanced → Network
- Check "Allow other applications to access Zotero"
Install zotero-mcp package:
```
npm install -g zotero-mcp
```
The MCP server connects to Zotero API at http://127.0.0.1:23119

Available Tools

Search Library

# Search papers by keyword
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"search","arguments":{"q":"deep learning"}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)

Get Item Details

# Get full details of an item by key
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_item_by_key","arguments":{"key":"ITEM_KEY"}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)

List Collections

echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_collections","arguments":{}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)

Get Collection Items

echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_collection_items","arguments":{"collectionKey":"COLLECTION_KEY"}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)

Extract PDF Content

echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_pdf_content","arguments":{"itemKey":"ITEM_KEY"}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)

Search Annotations

echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"search_annotations","arguments":{"q":"keyword"}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)

Direct API Access

You can also access Zotero API directly without MCP:

# Get user ID
curl http://127.0.0.1:23119/api/users/0/items

# Get all collections
curl http://127.0.0.1:23119/api/users/7120115/collections

# Search items
curl "http://127.0.0.1:23119/api/users/7120115/items?q=keyword"

Troubleshooting

Port 23119 not responding: Check Zotero preferences → Advanced → Network
No items found: Try different search keywords or check collection key
MCP errors: Restart Zotero and try again

---name: zotero-mcpdescription: Search and access Zotero reference library via MCP (Model Context Protocol) server. Use when working with Zotero literature databases, searching papers, getting item details, managing collections, or extracting PDF content and annotations. Requires Zotero running with API enabled (Edit, Preferences, Advanced, Network: Allow other applications to access Zotero).---# Zotero MCP SkillThis skill provides tools to interact with your Zotero library via the MCP (Model Context Protocol) server.## Prerequisites1. **Zotero must be running** with API enabled: - Open Zotero → Edit → Preferences → Advanced → Network - Check "Allow other applications to access Zotero"2. **Install zotero-mcp package**: ```bash npm install -g zotero-mcp ```3. **The MCP server connects to Zotero API at** `http://127.0.0.1:23119`## Available Tools### Search Library```bash# Search papers by keywordecho '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"search","arguments":{"q":"deep learning"}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)```### Get Item Details```bash# Get full details of an item by keyecho '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_item_by_key","arguments":{"key":"ITEM_KEY"}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)```### List Collections```bashecho '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_collections","arguments":{}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)```### Get Collection Items```bashecho '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_collection_items","arguments":{"collectionKey":"COLLECTION_KEY"}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)```### Extract PDF Content```bashecho '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"get_pdf_content","arguments":{"itemKey":"ITEM_KEY"}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)```### Search Annotations```bashecho '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"search_annotations","arguments":{"q":"keyword"}}}' | node $(which zotero-mcp-server)```## Direct API AccessYou can also access Zotero API directly without MCP:```bash# Get user IDcurl http://127.0.0.1:23119/api/users/0/items# Get all collectionscurl http://127.0.0.1:23119/api/users/7120115/collections# Search itemscurl "http://127.0.0.1:23119/api/users/7120115/items?q=keyword"```## Troubleshooting- **Port 23119 not responding**: Check Zotero preferences → Advanced → Network- **No items found**: Try different search keywords or check collection key- **MCP errors**: Restart Zotero and try again

Frequently asked questions