pyzotero (Claude Skill)

Interact with Zotero reference management libraries using the pyzotero Python client.


Type	Claude Skill
Supplier	K-Dense Inc. (community OSS)
Availability	GA — part of the actively maintained K-Dense `scientific-agent-skills` collection
Pricing	Free / OSS (MIT)
Capabilities	Read/Write — Claude runs the skill’s Python locally (Bash), not as an MCP tool

How to install

Claude Code / Claude.ai — Skills CLI (recommended):
```
npx skills add K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills
```
Installs the K-Dense collection; enable the pyzotero skill when prompted. Works across Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex via the Agent Skills spec (requires Node ≥ 18).
Claude Code / Claude Desktop — manual clone:
```
git clone https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills
cp -r scientific-agent-skills/skills/pyzotero ~/.claude/skills/
```
Project-scoped alternative: copy into .claude/skills/ instead of ~/.claude/skills/. The skill declares its own Python dependencies in its SKILL.md; install them (the K-Dense skills generally use uv / pip) when prompted on first use.

What it does

Interact with Zotero reference management libraries using the pyzotero Python client. Retrieve, create, update, and delete items, collections, tags, and attachments via the Zotero Web API v3. Use this skill when working with Zotero libraries programmatically, managing bibliographic references, exporting citations, searching library contents, uploading PDF attachments, or building research automation workflows that integrate with Zotero.

Primary use cases: working with Zotero libraries programmatically, managing bibliographic references, exporting citations, searching library contents, uploading PDF attachments, or building research automation workflows that integrate with Zotero.

Notes

Distributed as a SKILL.md (plus code examples) in the K-Dense collection — Claude executes it locally via Bash/Python rather than as an MCP server. Upstream license: MIT. The skill name to enable after install is pyzotero.

Sources

Installed this tool?

Share feedback — install path, OS, errors, workarounds. The form opens with this tool pre-selected and a link back to this page.