Accessing my own library while synced to another

Asker

My Zotero account is synced to a library that I use for work. I can't see my own library which should be empty. How can I access and add to my own library? The following instructions do not apply: https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/multiple_profiles

adamsmith

Not sure what you mean by "do not apply" -- if you want to see both libraries locally on the same computer, multiple profiles are the only way to do so.

Otherwise, you could look online -- you can log in with a different user in your browser than you use for syncing Zotero (or even log in with different users in different browsers)

Asker

I just mean that I've been unable to get multiple profiles using those instructions, but of course I might just be doing it wrong...

Asker

Update: I think I managed to create another profile, but regardless of which profile I use to start Zotero, the library I'm synced to appears.

How do I create a new data directory? I tried simply creating a new folder on my computer and directing Zotero to that in settings --> advanced --> files and folders, and it tells me I have to move my Zotero data to that folder manually, but I don't have any data in my new profile. I don't want to risk losing the data from the profile I'm synced to.

dstillman

Just don't move your data and don't set it up with the same sync account. A new data directory will be empty by default. It just tells you to move data because in normal usage people just want to change the data directory location, not create a new one.

Asker

I see, thanks! But another problem is that if I don't set it up with the same sync account, it says the data from that initial sync account will be deleted from my computer.

dstillman

If you're getting that message, you're not doing it right. You should be using a new profile and new data directory, in which case it's just like setting up syncing for the first time, and that message wouldn't appear (because as far as Zotero is concerned you've never synced before).