search_fulltextSearch Zotero metadata and indexed full text to find relevant papers, books, and items by query. Use it when you need to locate sources across a Zotero library.
Search Zotero metadata and indexed full text using qmode=everything.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | ||
| query | Yes | ||
| library_id | No | ||
| library_type | No |
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.10.0Input schema / properties / library_idAdded value: +{
+ "anyOf": [
+ {
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ {
+ "type": "null"
+ }
+ ],
+ "default": null,
+ "title": "Library Id"
+}Input schema / properties / library_typeAdded value: +{
+ "anyOf": [
+ {
+ "enum": [
+ "user",
+ "group"
+ ],
+ "type": "string"
+ },
+ {
+ "type": "null"
+ }
+ ],
+ "default": null,
+ "title": "Library Type"
+}v0.9.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, openWorldHint=false and destructiveHint=false, covering the safety profile. The description adds that it searches indexed full text (implying a full-text index distinct from metadata search), which is real behavioral context, but it says nothing about matching semantics or scoping by library.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The sentence is short and front-loaded with the core purpose, so it is not bloated. But the trailing 'using qmode=everything' phrase is dead weight that references a non-existent parameter and consumes the only slot where real parameter or usage guidance could have gone.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
An output schema exists, so return values need no explanation, but for a 4-parameter search tool the description is incomplete: no parameter documentation and no guidance on scoping by library or paging via limit. An agent would have to guess how library_id/library_type interact with the query.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 0% and the description documents none of the four parameters (query, limit, library_id, library_type). Worse, it references 'qmode=everything', which is not a parameter in the schema, potentially prompting the agent to pass a phantom argument while library_id/library_type filtering goes unexplained.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
States a specific verb and resource: it searches Zotero metadata and indexed full text, which is more precise than a generic 'search'. However, it does not distinguish itself from the sibling tools search_library and search, and the 'qmode=everything' clause is opaque to an agent without prior knowledge of the backend.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
There is no guidance on when to use this versus search_library, search, or get_item_fulltext, all of which appear to be search/retrieval siblings. The only hint is 'indexed full text', which the agent must infer means full-text search rather than metadata search.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.