Best way to have someone else work on my Zotero library from their computer?

blockeliz · June 21, 2010

I have an intern who can help work on my Zotero library, but when she logs in on my computer with her computer login (I work at a big institution; I did not share my computer login with her), she cannot access my Zotero library plug-in. What is the best way for two people to work on one Zotero library? I want to maximize her time, but cannot have her work on my computer with my login unless I am there, and then I cannot work on other things. Also, our institution does not support Firefox or Zotero, so I am on my own...

adamsmith · June 21, 2010

give her your Zotero login information, have her install Zotero on her account, then have her sync to your account when she starts and when she finishes working.
That way she won't even need to be at your computer.

Alternatively, move your Zotero data directory to a location on a shared local folder of your computer (if that's possible on the computer - it should be). You can do that in the advanced tab of the preferences. Then have her install Zotero on her account and have it point to the same location.
This option only works if she always works on your computer. It's probably inadvisable if your institution uses roaming profiles (like many major universities).

Oh and tell your institution to support Firefox. That _any_ larger institution wouldn't do that is absolutely laughable. If it's a university, also suggest (strongly) that they support Zotero, but for non-research institutions I don't think that can be expected.

blockeliz · June 21, 2010

Thanks. I'll try option 1. I gave her my Zotero login information, but can't give her my computer login info. I managed to get our IT dept. to allow me to install Firefox on my computer (so I could use Zotero), so I'll ask them to allow it for one other computer so the intern can use it on that other machine. Then I will have her sync to my account--can you point me to the directions for doing that?

I work at a museum that conducts a lot of research. The library likes Zotero and introduced many of us to it during a class, but our IT dept. is not big enough to support it. I have no idea why they won't support Firefox. I had do get special permission for it...

adamsmith · June 21, 2010

Then I will have her sync to my account--can you point me to the directions for doing that?

It's the standard instructions for syncing - Zotero has great documentation (see on top of this page support --> documentation). It's worthwhile familiarizing yourself with the documentation and its search function - this is much faster than having to ask everytime you hit a roadblock.

noksagt · June 21, 2010

I'll ask them to allow it for one other computer so the intern can use it on that other machine.

I have no idea what your policy says. But you're often able (technically, though perhaps not by policy) to install Firefox without admin rights and/or to run portable firefox

Then I will have her sync to my account--can you point me to the directions for doing that?

http://www.zotero.org/support/sync

but our IT dept. is not big enough to support it. I have no idea why they won't support Firefox. I had do get special permission for it...

adamsmith's advice is still sound: the worst they could do is say "no," but you could make sure that the right people hear your request and that they realize that IT is a service & that your IT dept. isn't fulling serving the current needs of their customers (you).

blockeliz · June 21, 2010

Thanks, all. Will familiarize with all info. on support/sync. Will try to install Firefox without admin. rights. Will talk to IT dept.--good point re: it being a service dept.