What happens to my Zotero metadata?

Your metadata is preserved in the references.bib file, including special fields like pdf_path and md_path for easier access by AI agents.

How do I move my Zotero papers to this new system?

Export your library as a BibTeX file and use the provided migrate-zotero.py script to convert PDFs and EPUBs into a structured markdown and BibTeX library.

Which other skills work with this library setup?

This setup powers several specialized sociology skills, including lit-synthesis, reading-agent, and bibliography-builder.

Why is the Zotero MCP integration deprecated?

It was replaced by a local BibTeX pipeline to avoid common SQLite database locking issues and synchronization conflicts typical with Zotero's local storage.

Can I still add new papers without using the Zotero app?

Yes, you can use the ingest.py script to automatically process new PDF or EPUB files directly into your local research library.

Zotero Research Library Migration

Name: Zotero Research Library Migration
Author: nealcaren

bynealcaren

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Learning & Documentation

Migrates Zotero databases to a local BibTeX pipeline for robust academic research and literature management.

The Zotero skill for the sociology-skillset facilitates a transition from live MCP-based Zotero integrations to a more stable, local BibTeX-based research workflow. This approach solves database locking and sync conflicts by establishing a canonical 'references.bib' file and a structured directory for PDFs and converted markdown files. It is specifically designed for academic researchers who need a reliable way to feed their literature into AI-driven tools for synthesis, qualitative analysis, and automated bibliography building without the overhead of external database servers.

Key Features

01Integrates with local RAG scripts for semantic search across research papers

02Provides a foundation for AI-driven literature synthesis and peer review

03Maintains canonical metadata in references.bib with file path mapping

04Automates PDF and EPUB ingestion into a structured research library

05Migrates Zotero SQLite libraries to portable BibTeX and markdown formats

063 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Transitioning an academic workflow from Zotero to a local AI-ready research pipeline

02Building a searchable markdown database of sociology papers for LLM analysis

03Automating the ingestion and classification of new research materials

Key Features

01Integrates with local RAG scripts for semantic search across research papers

02Provides a foundation for AI-driven literature synthesis and peer review

03Maintains canonical metadata in references.bib with file path mapping

04Automates PDF and EPUB ingestion into a structured research library

05Migrates Zotero SQLite libraries to portable BibTeX and markdown formats

063 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Transitioning an academic workflow from Zotero to a local AI-ready research pipeline

02Building a searchable markdown database of sociology papers for LLM analysis

03Automating the ingestion and classification of new research materials