Obsidian Zotero Importer

This script automatically converts entries from a Zotero .bib export (via Better BibTeX) into Obsidian-ready Markdown notes. It is designed for use with a structured note-taking system in which each bibliographic reference is stored as a literature note (LN) with standardized filenames and YAML frontmatter.

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🔧 Setup

1. Configure Zotero with Better BibTeX

• In Zotero, right-click your Library or a Collection
• Choose Export Library... or Export Collection...
• Format: Better BibTeX
• ✅ Check Keep updated
• Output file path: /home/dan/zoterobib/bibliography.bib

📁 This file is continuously maintained by Zotero on the local system Wealtheow.

2. Project Structure

~/zoterobib/
└── bibliography.bib   # auto-updating BibTeX export from Zotero

~/wealtheow/
└── LN Literature Notes/
    └── LN LastName YYYY Short Title.md  # Generated Markdown notes

3. Run the Script

Install dependencies:

pip install bibtexparser python-slugify

Run:

python zotero_obsidian_sync.py

Each BibTeX entry is converted into a note with:

• YAML frontmatter (including citekey and type)
• Chicago-style citation
• Abstract
• Keywords (as Obsidian [[wikilinks]])
• A preserved notes block for personal commentary

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⚠️ Sync Strategy

This project assumes that:

• Zotero + .bib export + Markdown generation is managed only on Wealtheow
• Obsidian Sync (or another sync system) distributes the resulting .md files to other machines
• Only this machine runs the sync script

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📄 Example Output File

LN Haraway 1985 Cyborg Manifesto.md

---
citekey: "haraway1985cyborg"
type: "article"
---
# Chicago Author-Year Bibliography
Haraway, Donna. 1985. "A Cyborg Manifesto." *Socialist Review* 80: 65–108.

# Abstract
This is a theoretical exploration of the cyborg as a metaphor...

# Keywords
[[cyborg]], [[feminism]], [[Donna Haraway]]

# Notes
<!-- BEGIN NOTEMARKER -->
Your notes here.
<!-- END NOTEMARKER -->

# Related Files and URLs
- Online: https://example.com/article

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License

MIT