Sharing Libraries with Friends

I am EXTREMELY computer illiterate. I need a VERY simple explanation of how you share libraries with friends. Can someone put this in EXTREMELY easy English so even the most computer illiterate can understands? Thanks!
  • Guys: I REALLY need help with this!
  • You're asking for people's time for free - it is incumbent on you to show some good will and at least tell us what you have tried, what you understand and what not etc.
    Maybe start here:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/sync
    http://www.zotero.org/support/groups
  • I didn't mean to be rude or anything, I simply do this sort of stuff so infrequently (I'm only on Zotero as I just became a Research Assistant to a professor who may be interested in switching from Endnotes) that I'm not familiar with protocol. Anyway, I have tried just about anything but am rereading the sites you suggested. I find the wording for long and complex and simply wish Zotero had a 1.2.3 list of how to share libraries. Anything on my library is up for grabs by anyone. And I do appreciate how Zotero indicates by icon what type of doc each is that I add to my library. I really am trying to do my best, I was born just a little too late, so this stuff doesn't come as second nature to me. I do appreciate your replying.
  • edited February 22, 2010
    OK - if necessary go through this sentence by sentence and tell me what you have done and what you don't understand. This allows you to put your library online.
    The first step to syncing your Zotero 2.0 library is to create a zotero.org account. This is the same as a Zotero Forums account, so if you already have one of those, you're all set. Otherwise, create one here. Once you've done that, open Zotero's Sync preferences tab and enter your login information in the Zotero Sync Server section. By default, Zotero will sync your data with the server whenever any changes are made. Manual syncing can be enabled by unchecking the “Sync automatically” check box in this section. The first time your Zotero library syncs, Firefox may appear to hang, especially if you have a large library.
    are you OK so far? Have you "synced" your library? If so, you're one click away from sharing it with everyone (i.e. so everyone can see it).
    On www.zotero.org login to your account. If you're already logged in You will see "Welcome azerbabe1" on the top right of the screen.
    Click on "Settings" right next to that.
    On the site that opens, select "Privacy" in the bar just below the "Zotero Settings" Heading.
    Check the Box next to "Publish Entire Library" and click "update settings" on the bottom.
    You're done. Everyone can see your library now from your profile page:
    http://www.zotero.org/azerbabe1

    About customs: Two problems - when you come asking for help, we are glad to help, but we expect you to make it easy for us. One part of that is to tell us exactly where you are stuck - what have you done, what have you read, what do you understand, what don't you understand. All of us are busy so we don't want to waste time by telling you stuff that you already know or have already done.
    Second - don't use all caps (LIKE THIS) - it's the online equivalent of yelling and generally considered quite rude.
  • O.K. I promise to never, ever, ever use caps again! I really appreciate your assistance, and I've gotten farther than I've ever made it before. Now my library is up on the net for anyone to see. How does my boss access that library? I don't quite understand how she's supposed to find my library amongst the thousands of others on Zotero. I think you're the greatest by the way!
  • edited February 22, 2010
    Send your boss to www.zotero.org/[your user name here]
    That will bring up your profile with a link to your library. If you add "/items" to the end of that, after your user name, it will bring up your library (as long as it is public). You could also just copy the URL from your browser when you are looking at your own library, and of course your boss could search for you.

    Now if you want your boss to actually install Zotero, and have items that are shared between your libraries, you will have to start a group from the groups tab on this website or the Zotero addon pane.
  • Yippee! I'm almost there, and am so very grateful, but I still must have done something wrong. I've figured out how to let me boss access my stuff. Where I apparently went wrong is long ago. I've been busily adding items to my library, and it shows on the half screen on the bottom when I work. However, when I looked under my username library, there's nothing in there! So I guess what I'm asking is how do I get my library on the bottom half of the screen into my username library? Ya'll been really the greatest, and if I could just get this last bug worked out, I'd be ready to Zotero to my boss with greatest praise!
  • have you pressed the sync button? That's the green round arrow on the top right of zour bottom half-screen.
  • Also make sure you have entered your login name and password into the Zotero addon's prefences (Gear icon->Preferences->Sync).
  • I have synced and checked my preferences. When you get under my username, it still says there are no items in the library...help?!?!?!?
  • The only thing I can think of is that you may have set up two separate accounts with different user names. I just did a search, and there are two users listed, one with the name azerbabe1, and the other azerbabe 1 (with a space before 1). I'll bet you are syncing the addon to one account, and checking the other one on the website.
  • great thinking anders! Indeed, the library for azerbabe 1 (with space) is online and populated:
    http://www.zotero.org/azerbabe_1/items
  • You rock! You rock! You so majorly, majorly rock! (I think that means it worked and thanks!)
  • It's been a while, but while I'm close to success, I'm still having some problems. Is there a way to delete the Zotero account "azerbabe1" (no space between name and number)? While my azerbabe 1 library is populated, and I can access and work with it myself, when I try to enter under "Group Libraries" it still says the groups' libraries are empty. Thanks for all the help!
  • there's no do-it-yourself way, no - why would you need the account deleted? Just don't use it. You can try sending an e-mail to support@z....org - put something meaningful in the subject line.
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