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Xevos117

mcp-zotero

by Xevos117
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TypeScript
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add_items

Add Zotero items by supplying metadata directly, including all item types, so you can create records without DOIs or override incomplete metadata. Supports batch entry.

Instructions

Add items to Zotero by providing metadata directly. Supports ALL 37 Zotero item types.

WHEN TO USE:

  • For items that do not have a DOI (books, theses, reports, etc.)

  • When you need full control over metadata (e.g., override a title, set a specific itemType, add custom fields) — even if a DOI exists, use add_items when the auto-resolved metadata would be incorrect or incomplete

  • Mixed batch: if some items have DOIs and others don't, call add_items_by_doi for the DOIs and add_items for the rest (two separate calls)

  • Prefer add_items_by_doi when DOIs are available AND you don't need to override metadata (it auto-resolves everything and attaches OA PDFs)

BATCH: Pass multiple items in the 'items' array (one tool call).

COMMON FIELDS (available for most types): title, date, abstractNote, url, DOI, publisher, place, pages, volume, language, extra

ITEM TYPE QUICK REFERENCE:

  • journalArticle: publicationTitle, volume, issue, pages, DOI, ISSN

  • book: publisher, ISBN, edition, numPages, series, seriesNumber

  • bookSection: bookTitle, publisher, pages, ISBN, edition

  • conferencePaper: proceedingsTitle, conferenceName, publisher, DOI

  • thesis: thesisType ("PhD thesis"|"Master's thesis"), university

  • report: reportType, reportNumber, institution

  • webpage: websiteTitle, websiteType, accessDate

  • preprint: repository, archiveID, genre ("Preprint")

  • patent: patentNumber, assignee, issuingAuthority, filingDate

  • computerProgram: versionNumber, company, system, programmingLanguage

CREATORS: Array of {firstName, lastName, creatorType} or {name, creatorType} for institutional. Default creatorType is "author". Some types use different primary types (e.g., "director" for film, "inventor" for patent, "artist" for artwork).

Invalid fields or creatorTypes for a given type are rejected with helpful error messages listing the valid options.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
tagsNoTags to apply to all items
itemsYesArray of items to add. Each item must have itemType and title. Additional fields depend on the item type.
library_idNoNumeric user or group ID for this call (a group's ID is the number in its zotero.org/groups/<id> URL). Default: the configured library. Required with library_type 'group' when the server is configured for a user library.
library_typeNoLibrary for this call: 'user' (personal) or 'group'. Default: the library configured on the server.
collection_keyNoZotero collection key to add all items to. Get this from create_collection or get_collections.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changedv2.0.4
    • changedInput schema / properties / library_id / description
      Previous value: -"Override the configured library ID for this call. Defaults to ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID env (or ZOTERO_USER_ID). Required when library_type is 'group' and the server is configured for a user library."New value: +"Numeric user or group ID for this call (a group's ID is the number in its zotero.org/groups/<id> URL). Default: the configured library. Required with library_type 'group' when the server is configured for a user library."
    • changedInput schema / properties / library_type / description
      Previous value: -"Override the configured Zotero library type for this call. Defaults to ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE env (or 'user'). Use to target a different library per call without restarting the server."New value: +"Library for this call: 'user' (personal) or 'group'. Default: the library configured on the server."
  2. Changed3 schema fields changedv2.0.2
    • addedInput schema / properties / collection_key / pattern
      Added value: +"^[23456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ]{8}$"
    • addedInput schema / properties / library_id
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Override the configured library ID for this call. Defaults to ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID env (or ZOTERO_USER_ID). Required when library_type is 'group' and the server is configured for a user library.",
+  "pattern": "^\\d+$",
+  "type": "string"
+}
    • addedInput schema / properties / library_type
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Override the configured Zotero library type for this call. Defaults to ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE env (or 'user'). Use to target a different library per call without restarting the server.",
+  "enum": [
+    "user",
+    "group"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}
  3. First observedv1.0.9

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries real weight and does disclose the rejection behavior for invalid fields/creatorTypes and the batching model. It does not cover what is returned (item keys), duplicate handling, or library permissions, which matters for a write tool.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with purpose and when-to-use, then organized into labeled sections that are easy to scan. It is long, but the type reference and creator notes each carry information the schema does not encode, so the length is largely earned.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a complex nested-schema write tool with no annotations and no output schema, the input side is thoroughly covered. The remaining gap is the result side: nothing says what comes back per item or how partial failures in a batch are reported.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% for the top-level params, but the item objects use additionalProperties, so the description supplies genuinely new semantics: type-specific field lists, the 10 type quick-reference mappings, and the creators object shape plus creatorType defaulting rules.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Add items to Zotero') and immediately scopes it ('by providing metadata directly', 'Supports ALL 37 Zotero item types'). It is clearly distinguishable from add_items_by_doi, which is named in the body.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Provides an explicit WHEN TO USE block with concrete conditions: no DOI, full metadata control, and the mixed-batch two-call pattern. It names the alternative (add_items_by_doi) and states both when to prefer it and when to override it.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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