# get_collection_items

Get items in a specific collection

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `get_collection_items`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-collection-items

## Facts

- Tool: `get_collection_items`
- Server: Zotero (`zotero-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero.md
- Install: `npx -y zotero-mcp`
- Homepage: git+https://github.com/cookjohn/zotero-mcp.git
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade D, 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": "get_collection_items",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why get_collection_items is rated Low

This tool retrieves or queries items from a Zotero collection without modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a straightforward data retrieval function consistent with the Read category. The severity is low because retrieval of collection items poses minimal risk—the worst case is exposure of information the user already has access to within their own Zotero library.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'get_collection_items' and description 'Get items in a specific collection' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects. The verb 'Get' is a read operation."

## Use case

AI agents call get_collection_items to retrieve information from Zotero 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:

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

## Other tools on Zotero (26)

- `delete_collection` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/delete-collection.md
- `find_similar` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/find-similar.md
- `fulltext_database` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/fulltext-database.md
- `get_annotations` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-annotations.md
- `get_collection_details` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-collection-details.md
- `get_collections` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-collections.md
- `get_content` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-content.md
- `get_item_abstract` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-item-abstract.md
- `get_item_details` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-item-details.md
- `get_libraries` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-libraries.md
- `get_subcollections` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/get-subcollections.md
- `search_annotations` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/search-annotations.md
- `search_collections` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/search-collections.md
- `search_fulltext` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/search-fulltext.md
- `search_libraries` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/search-libraries.md
- `search_library` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/search-library.md
- `semantic_search` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/semantic-search.md
- `semantic_status` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/semantic-status.md
- `add_items_to_collection` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/add-items-to-collection.md
- `create_collection` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/create-collection.md
- `remove_items_from_collection` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/remove-items-from-collection.md
- `update_collection` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/update-collection.md
- `write_item` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/write-item.md
- `write_metadata` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/write-metadata.md
- `write_note` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/write-note.md
- `write_tag` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/zotero/write-tag.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=zotero · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/zotero