Zotero MCP

io.github.kujenga/zotero-mcp · v0.3.1

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Source code Set it up

Connect Runs on your machine

Terminal

claude mcp add zotero-mcp -e ZOTERO_LOCAL=<ZOTERO_LOCAL> -e ZOTERO_API_KEY=<ZOTERO_API_KEY> -e ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID=<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID> -e ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE=<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE> -- uvx zotero-mcp==0.3.1

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp==0.3.1"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ZOTERO_LOCAL": "<ZOTERO_LOCAL>",
        "ZOTERO_API_KEY": "<ZOTERO_API_KEY>",
        "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID": "<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID>",
        "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE": "<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE>"
      }
    }
  }
}

~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp==0.3.1"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ZOTERO_LOCAL": "<ZOTERO_LOCAL>",
        "ZOTERO_API_KEY": "<ZOTERO_API_KEY>",
        "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID": "<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID>",
        "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE": "<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE>"
      }
    }
  }
}

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "zotero-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp==0.3.1"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ZOTERO_LOCAL": "<ZOTERO_LOCAL>",
        "ZOTERO_API_KEY": "<ZOTERO_API_KEY>",
        "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID": "<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID>",
        "ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE": "<ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace the values in angle brackets with your own. Keys stay on your machine; we never see them.

Tools

This server runs locally, so its tools are listed by your MCP client once it starts.

Environment variables

Name	Description
`ZOTERO_LOCAL` Optional	Use the local API from the Zotero desktop app instead of the Web API. Requires Zotero to be running with 'Allow other applications on this computer to communicate with Zotero' enabled under Settings > Advanced.
`ZOTERO_API_KEY` Optional, secret	Zotero Web API key from https://www.zotero.org/settings/keys. Not required when ZOTERO_LOCAL is true.
`ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID` Optional	Zotero library ID (your user ID for user libraries). Not required when ZOTERO_LOCAL is true.
`ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE` Optional	Whether ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID refers to a user or group library.

Details

Package	`[email protected]` (PYPI, stdio)
First published	7 Aug 2026
Last updated	7 Aug 2026
Registry name	`io.github.kujenga/zotero-mcp`

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Local install

Installed and run on your own machine, so there is no public endpoint to check.

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