Zotero & Mendeley

Amanda Izenstark

amanda@uri.edu

Social Sciences Librarian Bootcamp

June 1, 2012

• Overview

• Comparing Zotero & Mendeley

• Hands on with Zotero web

• Hands on with Mendeley web

• Experienced users: Favorite features?

• Caveats

• Not free - "freemium" • Zotero: up to 100 MB free; 1 GB $20/year and up

• Mendeley: up to 1 GB free; $4.99/mo and up

• More than just citation generators

• Zotero: "personal research assistant"

• Mendeley: "reference manager and academic social

network"

Overview

Zotero: Components

Once only a Firefox plugin; data stored locally.

Now:

• Plugins for Firefox, Safari, and Chrome

• Standalone client for Mac, Windows, and

Linux

• Sync to cloud; web-interface available.

Details at www.zotero.org/support/3.0

Mendeley: Components

• "Web Importer" bookmarklet for adding

browser-based material to library

• Standalone client

• Cloud sync and storage

• iPad and iPhone apps

Sharing in Zotero

Sharing with collaborative groups: classes,

common interests

Simple read-only personal library and folder

sharing

• www.zotero.org/amanda

• www.zotero.org/amanda/items/collectionKey

/5S7WUEH8

Sharing in Mendeley

Profile does not link to library

• www.mendeley.com/profiles/amanda-izenstark/

Sharing folders

• Using desktop client, yes.

• Via web, not at this time.

Instead, try a group

• http://www.mendeley.com/groups/2126423/critical-

perspectives-on-educational-technology/papers/

Zotero’s Web Features

zotero.org

Mendeley’s Web Features

mendeley.com

Where the Rubber Hits the

Road, Part 1:

Citations & Bibliographies

in Zotero

Where the Rubber Hits the

Road, Part 2:

Citations & Bibliographies

in Mendeley

Hands On with Zotero

• Install Firefox plugin

• Locate items to add to your library: • Article: “What’s Skill Got to Do With It?”

• Article: “Whatever Happened to ‘Always Cite the

Source’?”

• Book: “Reflective Teaching, Effective Learning”

• Differences between ALA Store & WorldCat?

• Set up an account: zotero.org

Try Zotero

Hands On with Mendeley

• Set up an account: mendeley.com

• Install Web Importer

• Locate items, add to your library using

importer: • Article: “What’s Skill Got to Do With It?”

• Article: “Whatever Happened to ‘Always Cite the

Source’?”

• Book: “Reflective Teaching, Effective Learning”

• Differences between ALA Store & WorldCat?

Try Mendeley

Experienced Users:

What do you use?

What do you love about it?

• Too much for the novice user?

• Anecdotal reports of Firefox upgrades wiping

Zotero libraries

• Potential conflicts with library databases

• Work with some link resolvers (EZproxy), but

not all (III's WAM)

• Cite-as-you-write features not intended for

public computers

Caveats

Questions?

Thank you!

Amanda Izenstark

amanda@uri.edu

Social Sciences Librarian Bootcamp

June 1, 2012