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Citation Management

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What is Citation Management?

Citation Management is a way to manage the resources that you collect over the course of your research, including library resources, web resources, videos, books, and more. Some things you can do with citation management platforms include:

  • keep track of your resources
  • organize resources into folders and create tags
  • format citations and reference lists according to different styles
  • share resources with team members, supervisors, or research assistants
  • read and take notes on PDFs

Note: citation management tools are still just tools; don't forget to proofread and edit any auto-generated content.


There are many different citation management tools that have different functionality. Two of the most commonly used are Zotero and Mendeley. You can get the most help from TRU Librarians using Zotero.

No one citation management tool does everything that you need, and you might find that you prefer a different organizational method. It is important to think about your needs and select a tool that best suits it.  Most citation management tools allow you to take copies of your data and import that data into another product, should you discover that the tool that you've selected is limiting.

Citation Management & Privacy

Please note: there are no citation management products that store data exclusively on Canadian servers. Products like Endnote, Mendeley and Zotero all store their data on non-Canadian servers. Use of these services is voluntary and by using them you will have your username, email address and citations stored on a US server means that your account information will be subject to US laws, specifically the US Patriot Act, which allows US authorities to have access to your personal information.

Getting Started - Video Tutorial

Get Help With Zotero