Search the Zotero library for items (references), matching against title, creator names, and full text of attached PDFs.

Args:

• query (string, optional): search text. Omit it to browse by filter alone.

• item_type (string, optional): filter to one Zotero item type (e.g. "journalArticle")

• tag (string, optional): filter to items carrying this exact tag

• collection_key (string, optional): search within one collection only

• limit (number, default 25, max 100)

• start (number, default 0): pagination offset

• response_format ('markdown' | 'json', default 'markdown')

Returns matching items with key, title, creators, date, tags, and abstract. Use the item 'key' with zotero_get_item, zotero_update_item, or zotero_get_item_children for further work.

Does NOT create or modify anything - read-only.

Examples:

• Use when: "Find items in my library about digital youth mentorship" -> query="digital youth mentorship"

• Use when: "Show journal articles tagged 'AI literacy'" -> omit query, item_type="journalArticle", tag="AI literacy"

• Don't use when: you already have the item key (use zotero_get_item instead)

Fetch full metadata for a single Zotero item by its key.

Args:

• item_key (string, required)

• response_format ('markdown' | 'json', default 'markdown')

Returns all fields for the item, including the current 'version' number, which is required for zotero_update_item and zotero_delete_item to avoid overwriting concurrent changes.

Error Handling:

• Returns "Error: ... Not Found (404)" if the key does not exist in this library

List the child items (attachments and notes) of a parent Zotero item.

Args:

• item_key (string, required): the parent item's key

• response_format ('markdown' | 'json', default 'markdown')

Returns attachments (PDFs, links) and notes attached to the item, each with its own key. Use this to find a PDF attachment's key or to read existing notes before adding a new one.

List collections (folders) in the Zotero library.

Args:

• parent_collection_key (string, optional): list sub-collections of this collection; omit for top-level collections

• response_format ('markdown' | 'json', default 'markdown')

Returns each collection's key, name, and item count. Use a collection's key with zotero_get_collection_items or zotero_add_items_to_collection.

List the items filed under a specific Zotero collection.

Args:

• collection_key (string, required)

• limit (number, default 50, max 100)

• start (number, default 0): pagination offset

• response_format ('markdown' | 'json', default 'markdown')

Returns the items in the collection (not sub-collections). For a broader text search restricted to a collection, use zotero_search_items with collection_key instead.

List tags used in the Zotero library, optionally filtered by substring.

Args:

• filter (string, optional): only return tags containing this text

• limit (number, default 100, max 200)

Useful for discovering the exact tag spelling before using it in zotero_search_items or zotero_update_item.

Create a new top-level item (reference) in the Zotero library.

Args:

• item_type (string, required): Zotero item type, e.g. "journalArticle", "book", "report", "webpage"

• title, creators, date, abstract_note, url, doi (optional)

• tags (string[], optional): tag labels to attach

• collection_keys (string[], optional): file the item into these collections immediately

• extra_fields (object, optional): any other valid Zotero field for the item type, e.g. {"publicationTitle": "Journal of X", "volume": "12", "issue": "3", "pages": "1-10"}

Returns the created item's key and version. This is a destructive/write operation - it permanently adds to the user's library.

Examples:

• Use when: "Add this journal article to my Zotero library" -> item_type="journalArticle", title=..., creators=[...], extra_fields={publicationTitle: ..., volume: ...}

• Don't use when: the item might already exist (search first with zotero_search_items to avoid duplicates)

Apply a partial update to an existing Zotero item.

Args:

• item_key (string, required)

• current_version (number, required): the item's version at the time you last read it (from zotero_get_item). Prevents accidentally overwriting a concurrent edit.

• fields (object, required): the fields to change, e.g. {"title": "Corrected Title", "date": "2026"}. Array-valued fields (tags, collections) are REPLACED entirely, so include the full desired array, not just the additions.

Returns the updated item. Fails with a version-mismatch error if the item changed since current_version was read - in that case, call zotero_get_item again and retry.

Don't use when: adding the item to a collection is the only goal - zotero_add_items_to_collection is simpler and avoids the version-conflict risk.

Delete an item from the Zotero library.

Args:

• item_key (string, required)

• current_version (number, required): the item's version from zotero_get_item, to confirm you're deleting the version you expect

• permanent (boolean, default false): false moves the item to the trash (recoverable); true erases it irreversibly

This is a destructive operation, and the library is synced - the deletion propagates to the user's desktop Zotero and any other synced device. Always confirm with the user before calling this. Never pass permanent=true unless the user has explicitly asked for irreversible deletion; the default trash behaviour leaves them able to undo it.

Create a standalone note or a child note attached to an existing item.

Args:

• note_html (string, required): note content as HTML (sanitised automatically by Zotero)

• parent_item_key (string, optional): attach as a child note under this item; omit for a standalone note

• tags (string[], optional)

Use for recording reading notes, screening decisions, or extraction summaries against a reference.

Create a new collection (folder) in the Zotero library.

Args:

• name (string, required)

• parent_collection_key (string, optional): nest under this collection; omit for a top-level collection

Returns the new collection's key, for use with zotero_add_items_to_collection.

Add one or more existing items to a Zotero collection, without needing to fetch or manage version numbers.

Args:

• collection_key (string, required)

• item_keys (string[], required, max 50)

This adds to the collection; it does not remove the items from any collection they're already in, and does not affect other items already in the target collection.