# zotero_search_by_citation_key

A read tool on the Zotero MCP MCP server.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `zotero_search_by_citation_key`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-search-by-citation-key

## Facts

- Tool: `zotero_search_by_citation_key`
- Server: Zotero MCP (`pypi:zotero-mcp-server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp.md
- Install: `npx -y pypi:zotero-mcp-server`
- Homepage: https://github.com/54yyyu/zotero-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "zotero_search_by_citation_key",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why zotero_search_by_citation_key is rated Low

This tool retrieves or queries data from the Zotero library using a citation key as a search parameter. It has no side effects and does not create, modify, delete, or execute operations. The empty description lowers confidence slightly, but the naming convention and context from sibling tools strongly indicate a read-only search function.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'zotero_search_by_citation_key' indicates a search operation. Sibling tools include 'search' and 'fetch' which are clearly read operations, and the server description emphasizes 'search your library' and 'access content' as core functions."

## Use case

AI agents call zotero_search_by_citation_key to retrieve information from Zotero MCP without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Zotero MCP:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "zotero_search_by_citation_key": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Zotero MCP (54)

- `zotero_delete_annotation` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-delete-annotation.md
- `zotero_delete_collection` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-delete-collection.md
- `zotero_delete_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-delete-item.md
- `zotero_remove_item_relation` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-remove-item-relation.md
- `fetch` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/fetch.md
- `scite_check_retractions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/scite-check-retractions.md
- `scite_enrich_item` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/scite-enrich-item.md
- `scite_enrich_search` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/scite-enrich-search.md
- `search` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/search.md
- `zotero_advanced_search` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-advanced-search.md
- `zotero_authorize_local_writes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-authorize-local-writes.md
- `zotero_export_bibliography` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-export-bibliography.md
- `zotero_find_duplicates` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-find-duplicates.md
- `zotero_find_related_papers` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-find-related-papers.md
- `zotero_get_annotations` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-annotations.md
- `zotero_get_attachment_path` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-attachment-path.md
- `zotero_get_collection_items` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-collection-items.md
- `zotero_get_collections` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-collections.md
- `zotero_get_feed_items` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-feed-items.md
- `zotero_get_item_children` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-item-children.md
- `zotero_get_item_fulltext` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-item-fulltext.md
- `zotero_get_item_metadata` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-item-metadata.md
- `zotero_get_item_related` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-item-related.md
- `zotero_get_notes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-notes.md
- `zotero_get_page_layout` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-page-layout.md
- `zotero_get_pdf_outline` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-pdf-outline.md
- `zotero_get_recent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-recent.md
- `zotero_get_search_database_status` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-search-database-status.md
- `zotero_get_tags` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-get-tags.md
- `zotero_library_coverage` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp/zotero-library-coverage.md
- …and 24 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/54yyyu-zotero-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=54yyyu-zotero-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/54yyyu-zotero-mcp