open a second Zotero file in order to create shared library?

A colleague of mine, "W," just left the group and handed me a USB drive with a Zotero file folder of materials for our boss. I would like to set up a shared library now. If I try to open W's file from my Zotero software, will it try to overwrite my libraries and/or files, or will it give me the option to merge? Whether I open it from her stand-alone file or somehow merged into mine, I would eventually like to move our boss's material to a library I will share with other team members. What steps do I need to take? I have Zotero installed on a Mac synched to Zotero on-line; W had it on Windows desktop only (and now USB).
  • It depends exactly what format it is. Is it a Zotero data directory, with zotero.sqlite and 'storage' folder, or an export with a .rdf/.bib/.ris/etc. file and a 'files' folder? The exact steps will depend on the answer to that.
  • If it's the former, and your colleague really never synced the library, here's a way to turn it into a shared group:

    1) Create a new Zotero profile (or just do this on a computer without a Zotero account set up).

    2) Copy that folder from the USB drive to a temporary location on your computer and then point Zotero at the directory from the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences. Keep the USB drive as a backup.

    3) Create a new Zotero account to be the owner of the group (which is a good practice anyway) and create a group that you'll use to share this library. Make your user account an admin.

    4) In the new Zotero profile, set up syncing with that account. Before syncing the first time, click "Choose Libraries…" in the Sync preferences and unselect "My Library & Feeds" so that you don't unnecessarily upload the data to that account's personal library.

    5) Sync, which should create the new group locally in Zotero.

    6) Drag all items in the personal library to the group, and then drag all collections. Make sure you have the same number of collections and items.

    7) Sync, which should upload the data in that group to the online library.

    8) After you've verified that all the data is there, you can close Zotero, delete the temporary data directory, and delete the new Zotero profile from the profile manager (and tell it to delete files). Then go back to your own profile and sync and it should pull down the new group with the data.

    Let us know if any of that is unclear. (There are other approaches — and the simplest option would've been for your colleague to simply create it as a group and transfer ownership — but this should be the safest and most precise approach at this point.)
Sign In or Register to comment.