zotero

name	zotero
description	Use when the user asks to send, get, retrieve, find, share, add, or search for a paper. This is the live OpenClaw Zotero workflow adapted for Codex and should take priority over external paper retrieval.
metadata	{"short-description":"Zotero-first paper and library management"}

Zotero

This uses the vendored Codex runtime copy of the Zotero workflow.

Routing rule

Use this skill first for any paper request involving:

• "send me"
• "get me"
• "retrieve"
• "find"
• "fetch"
• "share"
• "add to Zotero"
• "search my library"
• "my papers"
• "my collections"

Prefer this over getscipapers_requester whenever the request involves the user's library.

Base path

All live commands come from:

• ~/.codex/runtime/workspace/skills/zotero/

Use the shared Codex runtime runner rather than invoking run_zot.sh directly. The runner sets the vendored workspace path, PYTHONPATH, secrets, and workspace-local binaries for the migrated workflow.

Shared runner:

• bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh

Core commands

Use functions.exec_command.

Common patterns:

bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh skills/zotero/run_zot.sh --json get "<query>"

bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh skills/zotero/run_zot.sh --json get --link "<query>"

bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh skills/zotero/run_zot.sh --json get "<query>" --index 0

bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh skills/zotero/run_zot.sh add "<DOI or arXiv or URL>" --collection "<name>"

bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh skills/zotero/run_zot.sh add "/path/to/file.ext" --collection "<name>"

bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh skills/zotero/run_zot.sh update <key> --item-type manuscript

bash ~/.codex/runtime/run_skill.sh skills/zotero/run_zot.sh update <key> --attach-local-file "/path/to/file.pdf"

cd ~/.codex/runtime/workspace && PYTHONPATH="$HOME/.codex/runtime/workspace/.local:$PYTHONPATH" python3 skills/zotero/zot.py search "<query>" --json

cd ~/.codex/runtime/workspace && PYTHONPATH="$HOME/.codex/runtime/workspace/.local:$PYTHONPATH" python3 skills/zotero/zot.py list-collections --tree --json

cd ~/.codex/runtime/workspace && PYTHONPATH="$HOME/.codex/runtime/workspace/.local:$PYTHONPATH" python3 skills/zotero/zot.py notes <key>

cd ~/.codex/runtime/workspace && PYTHONPATH="$HOME/.codex/runtime/workspace/.local:$PYTHONPATH" python3 skills/zotero/zot.py doctor

cd ~/.codex/runtime/workspace && PYTHONPATH="$HOME/.codex/runtime/workspace/.local:$PYTHONPATH" python3 skills/zotero/zot.py sync-cache

Most important behaviors imported from OpenClaw

• Always search Zotero first before trying other retrieval paths.
• For review tasks that need a paper/book, if Zotero does not have it, route next to calibre before any online retrieval.
• If get returns multiple results, show the numbered candidates and ask the user to pick.
• Do not guess the intended paper when results are ambiguous.
• For link sharing, use the Zotero workflow rather than ad hoc file browsing.
• Use --index only after showing the user the numbered candidate list.

Add-paper rules imported from the bot

• Preprints and arXiv papers should end up as manuscript, not preprint.
• Different versions of the same paper are intentionally allowed unless they are DOI-identical duplicates.
• Do not silently add papers without collection assignment unless the user explicitly says to skip that.
• add accepts DOI, arXiv ID, URL, ISBN, or a local file path; keep the collection-assignment workflow in front unless the user explicitly opts out.

Collection workflow

If the user asks to add a paper and does not specify a collection:

1. List the collection tree.
2. Suggest likely collections.
3. Ask the user to choose one or more.
4. Then run the add command.

High-value maintenance actions

• doctor for end-to-end health checks
• sync-cache before heavy library inspection if the cache may be stale
• notes <key> when the user wants child-note context for an item
• update <key> --attach-local-file ... when a retrieved or local file should be attached to an existing Zotero item

Fallback rule

Only route to getscipapers_requester if:

• the paper is not in Zotero
• the Calibre library also does not satisfy the request when the task is a review that needs the document
• the user explicitly wants an external download
• or the Zotero workflow clearly cannot satisfy the request