Zotero's browser plugins can be used to collect new materials with a single click. It is also possible to attach files, notes or links to existing items. Zotero allows you to manually create or import a vast range of materials, like books, book sections, documents, news or journal articles, web links, emails, maps and much more. The user interface consists of three columns, on which you can create folders and sub-folders, manage their contents or add new ones and view or edit a wide range of details about a selected item.
The software can be installed in no time, after which you have to create an online account if you want to enjoy Zotero's online services. If you opt for the standalone version, you can use a series of simple extensions for Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari, as well as Word and OpenOffice. It can be found as a standalone application and as a plugin for Mozilla Firefox.
Zotero is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux platforms and it is offered free of charge. Furthermore, you can synchronize your data between multiple computers, over the Internet, and share it with other users. You can use it to collect information, from the Internet or local folders, organize it and use it in your projects. This is where Zotero comes in, with its flexible functionality and wide array of features. A web browser's bookmarking capabilities are not enough for organizing the materials you collect.
The Internet makes it much easier and faster to research something, but it leaves much to be desired when it comes to efficiency.