Create a new library?

mjhill02
Hi everyone. In working with students on class projects, I often help them with their bibliographies using references that I download into Zotero. The problem is that I don't want those same references cluttering up my Zotero library. I can download them all into a collection folder, and then delete the collection, but the items still remain in my library unless I go through and delete each and every one. Is there anyway of putting these references someplace, e.g. in a temporary new library, so that I can keep them separate from my own Zotero library, which is focused on my research? Perhaps another solution is to create a group library. Thanks for any suggestions.
  • anders_royce
    edited March 15, 2010
    I think creating a group would be the best way to go. You can delete multiple items from your library fairly easily though. Just go to the collection, then select all items, and then delete. Empty your trash, and they will be gone.

    Edit: to select all items is control-A, but I don't know if that is just on Windows.
  • mjhill02
    Thanks Anders. If you delete the items in a collection, does it delete them from the entire library as well? I thought that if a collection was deleted, the items still remained in the library. Thanks again.
  • anders_royce
    If you delete a collection itself, all the items that were in it will remain in your library. However, if you go into a collection, select all items in it, and delete all those items, they will be deleted from the your library as well.
  • mjhill02
    Great. Thanks. That's very helpful.
  • dstillman
    However, if you go into a collection, select all items in it, and delete all those items, they will be deleted from the your library as well.
    This isn't quite accurate.

    http://zotero.org/support/collections#deleting_an_item
    http://zotero.org/support/collections#removing_an_item_from_a_collection
  • anders_royce
    How is it not accurate? (I looked at the links and see no difference from what I said)
  • dstillman
    Well, potentially misleading, at least. If one selects items in a collection and presses Delete/Backspace (which someone reading your post might think you meant), the items aren't deleted—they're simply removed from the collection. One needs to use Ctrl/Cmd-Delete/Backspace or the context menu to delete from the library.

    I'm sure you know this—I just wanted to clarify for mjhill02's sake.
  • anders_royce
    Sorry, I did not consider that. I was specifically referring to the right-click options which are unambiguously called "Delete" and "Remove", rather than using the delete key. Thanks for clarifying. I certainly don't want to mislead anyone.
  • milkytooth
    GREAT!!! Thanks for the clarification.
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