EXPL 145: ZOTERO
AND LIBRARY BOOKS
Holly Hendrigan
Liaison Librarian, Explorations
Today’s workshop
Learn about Zotero
 Start building your Zotero library

Find books
 Manipulate the catalogue


Quiz!
Zotero!


“Citation management tool”
Bibliographic time saver
 Create
a 1st draft of your bibliography
“DISCLAIMER”
Zotero is
“Not Officially Supported by SFU”
Step 1: download & install

Load Firefox
 Start

> Firefox
Zotero.org
Step 2: Start adding references



Library Search catalogue tab: What
objects mean
Click on first record
Click on Book icon in location bar
Meanwhile, look down
Zotero library
Synching
Zotero lives on your browser
UNLESS you create an account
and synch up
Beware



Sometimes, Zotero gets things wrong
Example: film Canada Vignettes: The
Maple Leaf in my Zotero account
Misattributed director as National Film
Board.
Practice time!


Do some searches in the Library
Catalogue
Add them to your Library
More info


York University Libraries guide
1 hour Citation management tools: Which
one is right for you? Workshop: March 5th
12:30, SUR 3300
Finding books: Why?



Comprehensive accounts of research
or scholarship
Broader historical perspective
More complete information (causes,
effects, long-term consequences,
fuller conclusions, etc.)
Finding books/chapters
Method 1: keyword
searching in
catalogue
Eg “cigarettes”: 494
results
Modify Search
Limit to printed work
Catalogue tips
Up your relevancy: Add terms such as
 “Social aspects”
 “History”
 “Environmental aspects”
 “industry”
 “psychological aspects”
 “in art”
Subject headings




Interested in the issue of
overconsumption?
Search as keyword.
See # 2: Managing overflow in affluent
societies
Follow links at the bottom of the record
Practice time!
Overcoming obstacles
1. Terms count. Brainstorm synonyms



Handbags OR purses
Cigarettes OR tobacco use OR smoking OR
nicotine addiction
IPhone or cell phone or cellular telephone
or smart phone or mobile telephone
2. Be prepared to think broad
Nothing on…
 Handbags?
 Cell
phones?
 Espresso
machines?
3. Don’t marry your topic



Even in this age of information, many
research gaps exist
It’s possible that no scholar has published
on your topic
Mine a rich vein: leave the obscure for
grad school
For more help…

Contact me: hah1@sfu.ca

F2F librarian help @ library: 10-6/10-5 Fri/Sat


AskAway: links from home page,
databases
Text Us: 604.724.5898
Quiz!
Questions?
Holly Hendrigan
Explorations Liaison
Librarian
Fraser Library, SFU Surrey
hah1@sfu.ca 778.782.8023