Author not importing from MLA

MollieF
Today, I find that when I use the direct import (from ProQuest MLA), the author field does not come over at all. It will come over if I save the items as an RIS file, but not if I import using the yellow folder icon. The items come in, any associated PDFs come in, but not the author field. Yesterday, authors were importing just fine.

The RIS file is fine, and imports into both Zotero and EndNote. Why won't the more efficient method of direct export work?
  • dstillman
    Can you provide an example URL? (You can x out any institution name.)
  • MollieF
    I don't know that the issue has to do with my instance of MLA (ProQuest). The issue is in the connector. When I export the same citations as an RIS file, the author (or creator, to use Zotero's designation) imports just fine, and the AU field exists in the RIS file, and imports cleanly to EndNote as well. However, if I use the connector, the author doesn't import, even when a PDF imports with the citation. If I drop a PDF into Zotero, the author imports.

    I wonder if this problem is related to the fact that the Zotero connector only works for MLA about half the time. When it doesn't work, it imports a screenshot of the page of results in MLA (which is useless).

    These problems make it difficult to teach Zotero in literature classes without qualifying many steps with comments like "sometimes this works." The connector is a marvelous tool--when it works. But I'm beginning to think that trying to use just makes more work because part of the time, you have to re-import with the RIS file, and the other half of the time you have to insert the authors by hand.
  • bwiernik
    Like dstillman said, can you provide a specific URL where you are having issues?
  • adamsmith
    (To clarify -- the connector works with specific scripts for specific sites, so how well it works is site-specific, not a general question. We've had some issues with MLA via ProQuest in the past, I believe)
  • MollieF
    Here's the URL: https://search-proquest-com.nmu.idm.oclc.org/mlaib/results/F09557E223AB4831PQ/1?accountid=2745

    I took some screenshots, but they can't be posted here.
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