How to Set Up a Proxy with Zotero and MZCOS

Zotero is a powerful tool for managing research references and bibliographies. One of its helpful features is its ability to work with proxies, allowing you to access academic resources (such as journals, databases, or library websites) that may require authentication through your institution. Setting up a proxy can make your research process smoother, especially when you're accessing content off-campus or from restricted networks.

In this guide, we'll walk you through how to set up a proxy in Zotero with MZCOS as a specific example of how this can be done.

Before we configure a proxy in Zotero, make sure that you have installed both:

• Zotero desktop application (available for Windows, macOS, and Linux).
• Zotero Connector for your preferred browser (available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari). These tools work together to automatically detect when a proxy is needed and allow seamless access to academic resources.

MZCOS (Major Zotero Compatible Open Source) is an open-source proxy system that institutions can use to authenticate users. You’ll first need to gather specific information about your institution’s proxy setup:

• Proxy URL: Usually something like https://proxy.yourinstitution.edu.
• Proxy Pattern: A recognizable pattern that matches the URLs of academic databases. This could be in the format of .yourinstitution.edu/login?url=. For MZCOS, you might find this information through your institution’s library website or IT services.

Once you have the necessary proxy information, you can configure Zotero to use it:

1. Open Zotero: Launch the Zotero desktop application.
2. Access Proxy Settings:

• Go to the Edit menu (on Windows/Linux) or the Zotero menu (on macOS).
• Select Preferences.
• In the Preferences window, navigate to the Proxies tab.

3. Add Your Proxy:

• Click the + button to add a new proxy.
• A new window will pop up, prompting you to add a proxy host and scheme. Use the proxy details you gathered earlier from MZCOS:
• • Proxy Host: Enter the base URL of your institution’s proxy. For example, proxy.yourinstitution.edu.
• • Scheme: Add the pattern that Zotero should recognize. This might look like https://%h.yourinstitution.edu/login?url=%u.

4. Enable Automatic Proxy Redirection:

• Check the box that says Automatically associate new sites with this proxy. This allows Zotero to detect when you are accessing a resource that requires the proxy and will automatically redirect you through the proxy URL.
• You can also manually add domains if Zotero doesn't automatically recognize certain academic websites.

Now that you've set up the proxy, it's important to ensure it works:

1. Visit a Research Database: Go to an academic journal or database (like JSTOR, PubMed, or Elsevier) that typically requires you to log in via your institution.
2. Watch for Zotero: If Zotero detects that the site uses the proxy, it will automatically redirect you through the MZCOS proxy, and you'll see the proxy URL in your browser.
3. Log In: If required, log in using your institutional credentials. Once logged in, Zotero should now allow you to access the full content through the proxy. Zotero will also store these access patterns, making it easier for you to access similar resources in the future.

If at any point you need to modify or disable the proxy settings:

• Return to the Proxies tab in Zotero Preferences.
• Here, you can see all the sites associated with your proxy and make changes as needed. If Zotero mistakenly redirects you through a proxy for a site that doesn’t need it, you can simply remove the site from the list.

Zotero syncs your settings across devices, provided you are logged in to your Zotero account. This means if you configure your proxy settings on one computer, you won’t need to do it again on other devices that are synced to your Zotero account. However, make sure you have the Zotero Connector installed on all browsers you use.

By setting up a proxy in Zotero using MZCOS, you streamline your research process, especially when dealing with academic resources that require institutional access. Zotero’s ability to manage proxies automatically ensures that you don’t have to manually adjust settings each time you access restricted content. With just a few steps, you can make your academic life much easier, gaining quicker and more seamless access to the resources you need.