Zotero MCP (kujenga): MCP server, setup and security

What Zotero MCP (kujenga) does

According to its repository: “Search your Zotero library, retrieve item metadata, and read full text from AI assistants.”

An MCP server gives an AI agent extra tools it calls during the conversation: the agent reads their description, decides to use them and gets the result back. Zotero MCP (kujenga) is listed under Web search and extraction, a category of 159 servers in the directory, where it ranks #31 by stars.

Topics declared by the repository: zotero.

Installing and connecting Zotero MCP (kujenga)

Distribution modes declared in the official MCP registry:

• PyPI package (Python, started with uvx or pip)

Like any MCP server, you declare it in your client's configuration (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Codex…): a name, the command that starts it or its URL, and any environment variables. The client then starts it and lists its tools. Project language: Python.

The registry lists one secret variable to provide (API key, access token). Keep them in the client's environment variables, never in a shared file or a repository.

Security: what to check

An MCP server runs code with the rights you give it, and the model reads its tool descriptions: a malicious or compromised server can hijack the agent. Read the code, or pick a maintained and widely used server, before connecting it.

Points found for Zotero MCP (kujenga):

• Secrets: the server acts with your credentials. Create a dedicated key with minimum rights and an expiry date.

Good practice: grant only the rights needed (least privilege), require human approval for irreversible actions, and run the AI agent security check.

Project activity and maintenance

Created on January 26, 2025, the kujenga/zotero-mcp repository has 162 stars and 26 forks, with 3 open issues. It has more stars than 74% of the servers in the directory. Last change 3 months ago. Version published in the registry: 0.3.1 (August 7, 2026).

Stars measure attention, not quality: a recent, heavily promoted project can collect them fast, while a useful but niche server will have few.