How to manage literature imported from various databases in Zotero?

Zotero efficiently centralizes literature management by enabling the import and organization of references from diverse academic databases. This facilitates the creation of a unified, searchable personal library. It leverages unique identifiers and metadata retrieval to ensure consistency across sources. Key principles include utilizing the Zotero Connector browser extension for direct import, leveraging database-specific export formats (like RIS or BibTeX), and consistent metadata enhancement upon retrieval. Necessary conditions require installing the Zotero desktop application and the Connector. Precautions involve verifying metadata accuracy post-import and regularly using Zotero’s powerful deduplication function to maintain a clean library. The tool is universally applicable across platforms supporting the Connector or compatible export files. Implementing this begins by installing the Zotero Connector and configuring the browser. Locate desired items within a supported database and save them using the Connector icon; Zotero automatically imports metadata and often PDFs. Subsequently, file items into relevant Collections or assign Tags. Regularly perform duplicate detection ("Find Duplicates" under Tools). Finally, utilize Zotero within word processors to seamlessly insert context-specific citations and bibliographies generated from the organized library.