I recommend you use Group Libraries for your different libraries for the easiest experience. You can also set up multiple local profiles (https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/multiple_profiles) to have different libraries.
First - I love Zotero. I think it's awesome. You all have done great! I really appreciate the hard work put into it.
Second - neither of those options are optimal.
I have two group libraries that I use to collaborate with others on. So I am familiar with that and even purchased additional server space for my library.
Then I have a personal library that I have no problem syncing with the cloud. However I also have some proprietary research [would like to create a second library] that I cannot share on the cloud. Being able to interact with my entire library in one session is desirable.
It _is_ possible to run multiple profiles (https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/multiple_profiles ) and you could run one (or multiple) entirely unlinked to any account, but of course that does not allow you to access them simultaneously.
That said, I just want to make sure you're fully aware of what groups do allow you to do (since some of the things you write sound a bit like misunderstandings). 1. Having items in a group does not mean you need to share them with anyone. A group can be private with 1 member. That makes it undiscoverable and unviewable by anyone but you. 2. While Zotero's servers are quite safe, they are not suitable for highly sensitive data (e.g. data that falls under HIPPA or FERPA in the US or is categorized as "personal sensitive data" under GDPR) -- my rule of thumb is if you'd send something in an unencrypted e-mail, you can store it on Zotero's servers. But if your data really are too sensitive for any regular cloud server, note the second part of my post above: having created a group (which may be completely empty) and synced it to Zotero to show up, you can then turn off syncing and any changes/additions you make will no longer be transferred to the servers.
If those options don't work for you, I'm afraid you can't achieve what you need in Zotero.
Yes I know what groups do. I have been using them.
My research is proprietary, export controlled and could present a competitive advantage for my organization. I cannot let it outside my firewall. While I can fudge it and create a "group" on the zotero server with an identifier that is unrelated to the research I know I can prevent it from synchronizing [after the first 1-way sync]. That just seems unnecessary for my needs, but required due to architectural limitations of the software.
You can also run a separate instance of Zotero with an unsynced local library, as explained in the page linked above. But you can only have one personal library per instance, and you can only save to one instance from each browser, and you can currently only use word processor integration with the instance you start first.
I understand that using unsynced groups seems like a clumsy workaround, but note that it’s not really that different from what you’re asking for. Either way, you’re relying on Zotero not to sync a library when you tell it not to. That has always worked as designed, but if it’s too much of a risk, you’d want to keep the data elsewhere either way.
(If you could create multiple local libraries in another profile and run that without syncing enabled at all, I suppose that would be the safest option, but you’d still have the downsides of using multiple instances.)
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Second - neither of those options are optimal.
I have two group libraries that I use to collaborate with others on. So I am familiar with that and even purchased additional server space for my library.
Then I have a personal library that I have no problem syncing with the cloud. However I also have some proprietary research [would like to create a second library] that I cannot share on the cloud. Being able to interact with my entire library in one session is desirable.
That said, I just want to make sure you're fully aware of what groups do allow you to do (since some of the things you write sound a bit like misunderstandings).
1. Having items in a group does not mean you need to share them with anyone. A group can be private with 1 member. That makes it undiscoverable and unviewable by anyone but you.
2. While Zotero's servers are quite safe, they are not suitable for highly sensitive data (e.g. data that falls under HIPPA or FERPA in the US or is categorized as "personal sensitive data" under GDPR) -- my rule of thumb is if you'd send something in an unencrypted e-mail, you can store it on Zotero's servers. But if your data really are too sensitive for any regular cloud server, note the second part of my post above: having created a group (which may be completely empty) and synced it to Zotero to show up, you can then turn off syncing and any changes/additions you make will no longer be transferred to the servers.
If those options don't work for you, I'm afraid you can't achieve what you need in Zotero.
Yes I know what groups do. I have been using them.
My research is proprietary, export controlled and could present a competitive advantage for my organization. I cannot let it outside my firewall. While I can fudge it and create a "group" on the zotero server with an identifier that is unrelated to the research I know I can prevent it from synchronizing [after the first 1-way sync]. That just seems unnecessary for my needs, but required due to architectural limitations of the software.
I think I may just need to look at a DMS system.
I understand that using unsynced groups seems like a clumsy workaround, but note that it’s not really that different from what you’re asking for. Either way, you’re relying on Zotero not to sync a library when you tell it not to. That has always worked as designed, but if it’s too much of a risk, you’d want to keep the data elsewhere either way.
(If you could create multiple local libraries in another profile and run that without syncing enabled at all, I suppose that would be the safest option, but you’d still have the downsides of using multiple instances.)