Zotero doesn't work with Gale...

kendrickkeeton
Hello, researching Zotero for our library and seems like a powerful piece of software except it doesn't work well with Gale databases. Is there some special way to get this to work? Thank you,

Ken Keeton.
  • adamsmith
    could you specify? Which gale database? Which Zotero version? Sample URL? Generally Gale works with Zotero, no special action needed.
  • kendrickkeeton
    I've been researching Zotero and it appears that the only real way that it handles citations and references correctly is to export the item. If you use the "create new item" button (which would be the default action of most patrons), the citation and references will be wrong. For example the Author will most likely not be included. I get that and understand that an export of the metadata is much better. This works fine in all the EBSCO databases I tried.

    But... the export option doesn't work at all in Opposing viewpoints and when done in Infotrac databases there is something wrong with the transfer of the data.

    I'm running the the latest Zotero (not sure how to look up version) since I downloaded it from the site yesterday. Any help is appreciated.
  • adamsmith
    no, you don't want to use export - it works, but it's always a second best. Use the Zotero icon in the URL bar.
    Have a look at the quick start guide:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide
    and in particular:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide#capturing_items
  • kendrickkeeton
    Thanks for the links. I did watch quick start guide before but will watch it again. I wish they would have made one on a PC since the Mac seems different. That Zotero icon doesn't show up on the address bar for Opposing viewpoints.

    In InfoTrac the citing and reference and incorrect. For example, the reference Zotero created for one InfoTrac article looks like this...

    Global warming blowback
    2012 Earth Island Journal: 12.

    here is what InfoTrac produces using their cite tool...

    Global warming blowback. (2012, Summer). Earth Island Journal, 27(2), 12. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA292087453&v=2.1&u=nm_a_dona&it=r&p=SPJ.SP02&sw=w
  • adamsmith
    Forget the "Create New Item" button - that's for webpages and will never give you an accurate citation without editing.
    Question is why you're not getting a URL bar icon - I don't have access to that resource, but generally those types of gale sources should work. Do you ever see a URL bar icon? E.g. here:
    http://www.amazon.com/Theory-Moral-Sentiments-Adam-Smith/dp/1619491281/
  • kendrickkeeton
    I get a url bar icon at that amazon address. I'm not getting that bar icon on Credo either.
  • kendrickkeeton
    Credo does have a Zotero export feature though... nice!
  • adamsmith
    right - we could probably make that work with a URL bar icon as well, but the export will do. (generally, Zotero will also import data that's labelled as being for Reference Manager or Endnote).
    As for gale - could you take a screenshot of the page with the global warming article and post it to a free image hosting site like imgur.com - I want to see if it's something that we have seen.
    Generally Zotero is more likely to work with databases that are oriented towards researchers (who are, after all, the principal users of ref management software) rather than students, but we try to support what we can.
  • mweiss
    edited February 11, 2014
    Sorry to necro this thread - I'm running into having to export from gale (using refworks file format) and then import it to Zotero. When this occurs I get folder names like Download, Download(1), Download(2). I move the particular item to the sub-collection hierarchy I want and this creates a second citation (or shortcut I suspect).

    If I delete the original download(1) import folder my moved/copied item also disappears. If there a way for me to avoid this or am I stuck with a bunch of extraneous folders (that I could rename out of the way). I know this is my fault for not understanding the structure.. any tips on what I can try?
  • adamsmith
    edited February 11, 2014
    Deleting collections you have two options: "Delete Collection" and "Delete Collection and Items". The former should give you what you want. (note that dragging the item to another collection does not create a duplicate or a shortcut. It just assigns the same item to multiple collections).

    Alternatively, you can open the RIS files with a text editor, select and copy the content and import from clipboard in Zotero. That will go into the currently selected collection.

    Finally, which Gale database is this (both URL and name/search terms would help)? We should have a URL bar icon for most of them.
  • mweiss
    Thanks!
    Here is the link

    Gale In Context - Opposing Viewpoints
    Search Terms ( Music, Copyright, social control)

    http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?query=&prodId=OVIC&contentModules=&displayGroupName=Journals&limiter=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&action=2&catId=&activityType=&documentId=GALE%7CA267134926&source=Bookmark&u=txshracd2573&jsid=b0d5239c1a559492ea64d371d2bd491e
  • adamsmith
    ok, that's not supported atm, so the other advice above applies, but I can take a look whether we can add support.
  • mweiss
    Thanks you resolved my collection issue and the work around is sufficient at least for my purposes.
  • aurimas
    the work around is sufficient at least for my purposes.
    By the "work around" are you referring to "Import from Clipboard"? If so, are you saying that if you delete _just_ the collection your item is still being removed? Also, when you say,
    I move the particular item to the sub-collection hierarchy I want
    the subcollection you are moving to is not within the Download collection that you are later deleting, right?
  • mweiss
    Import from clipboard works, delete just collection works properly.
    ---
    That's correct - sorry for the imprecise/vague language. Zotero is working correctly now that I know what functions to choose. Thanks.
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