Many of the great features included in the new Zotero 6 are designed to transform the experience of reading the many PDFs you’ve saved to Zotero. Up until today, Wake Forest users who wanted to sync their Zotero PDFs across devices had to either pay for additional Zotero storage or find a workaround.

Not anymore!

We’re excited to announce that the ZSR Library is now providing unlimited Zotero file storage to all Reynolda Campus users. This will allow anyone with a wfu.edu email address to sync unlimited file attachments to their Zotero online library, including PDFs, audio and video files, images, and Word documents. Now you can use Zotero to read and annotate your PDFs on multiple devices, without having to worry about where those files are stored.

How do I turn it on?

If your zotero.org account is associated with your wfu.edu email address, it should already be activated for you. Check for “Institutional Storage” by logging in at zotero.org/settings/storage.

If you don’t see that, you probably need to add your wfu.edu email address to your zotero.org account.

Make sure that you have file syncing turned on in your Zotero Sync Preferences.

Does this apply to Zotero groups?

Yes! If you’re the owner of a Zotero group, that group will have unlimited file syncing, and all members of that group will experience the benefit, whether or not they’re affiliated with WFU.

What if I already pay for storage?

If your wfu.edu email address is associated with your account, you’re now on our unlimited storage plan, and your account won’t be charged again as long as WFU maintains our institutional subscription.

What if my PDFs are all linked files?

Some folks were using workarounds that would store PDFs in cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox, and link those files to items in their Zotero library. If that’s you, you can easily convert your linked files to stored files that will sync with Zotero. First, select all items in your Zotero library (ctrl+a or cmd+a) then go to Tools > Manage Attachments > Convert Linked Files to Stored Files.

What if I leave WFU? What if we cancel our subscription?

Your data and all of your files are safe. Remember that all of your Zotero data, including attachment files, are stored on your computer’s hard drive first, and are then synced to Zotero’s servers. Good backups will preserve your data no matter where you go, and Zotero will remain free to use.

The unlimited storage applies to attachment files only — PDFs and the like. Your entire Zotero library and item metadata, with the exception of file attachments, will always sync for free. You can opt to pay for your own personal file storage at zotero.org.

Does this apply to the Medical School as well?

Unfortunately, no. This subscription covers anyone with a wfu.edu email address.