Zotero AU guidelines

This is not a guide on how to use Zotero (e.g. installation and configuration), it is a guide on how to use Zotero safely, following AU's recommendations on data security.

Introduction and general advise

Zotero is a free open-source reference manager software. It is installed locally by each user (not provided by AU IT). The base system acts as a database of bibliographic information (data and metadata on books, papers, and other types of publications).

The main functionality of the system is local (it remains in your device) and all data and metadata are stored in each user’s system by default. Adding a cloud-sync function is optional, and requires creating an account with the Zotero organisation, allowing storing data outside of the user’s system (as an online backup).

The software was developed by an academic institution (Center for History and New Media, George Mason University), and maintained by a non-profit organisation (Corporation for Digital Scholarship).

Added and optional functions include the ability to sync the database through a cloud storage, web browser integration through browser add-ons, PDF storage with annotation capabilities, notes, the possibility to create a personal account, and word processor integration (Microsoft Office, Libreoffice writer, and Google docs) through plug-ins.

• The software should be used it as it is intended (for storing public bibliography information, and not e.g. private information).
• You should not store personal files, or any file containing personal or sensitive information. This is a requirement of use within AU, to minimise the possibility of data misuse in a worst-case scenario.
• If you choose to synchronise, and thus, create a Zotero account, be aware that your name, email, address and metadata will be stored in Zotero servers outside of the EU, for functionality purposes only, and never shared with 3rd parties.
• Zotero anonymizes and aggregates synchronized user and group library data to generate statistics on readership (this only includes publicly available metadata, e.g. publication title and author. This data is never sold or made available in any forms other than ones offered publicly.
  

Synchronisation and local backups

"Unlike many cloud-based tools, the Zotero desktop application is a local program that runs on your computer and saves all research data locally by default. Unless you explicitly set up syncing, your research data never leaves your computer" (https://www.zotero.org/support/security, accessed 14 jan 2024)

Using Zotero Connector

When installing the Zotero Connector, your browser will warn you that the extension can “Read and change all your data on the websites you visit” (or similar). This is the standard permission that browser extensions that run on all pages require.

Zotero uses it to determine what content it can save on a given page and update the save button accordingly, as well as to provide advanced features such as automatic proxy redirection and automatic RIS/BibTeX import. No data is stored except when you choose to save a page to either your local or online Zotero library.

Using Zotero plug-in for word and libreoffice

Zotero

You may need permissions to correctly install and use this plug-in. Contact your local IT, and ask them to add your user to the "GPO group M365Apps-Allow-UI-Extending"