Please see the July 24, 2024 update regarding Zotero on IT Answers for more information.
Due to concerns that have arisen with Zotero, Missouri S&T IT has been instructed to retire the use of Zotero on university computer systems. To allow individuals who use Zotero time to transition, the software will remain available until August 2, 2024, at which point it will be removed from AppsAnywhere and blocked on all university computer systems. This action is being undertaken after concerns have been raised with the developer’s refusal to provide requested information to S&T IT Security and refusal to work with the UM Office of General Counsel.
Missouri S&T and other campuses in the UM System asked Zotero’s developers to answer questions for a security review. They were asked to provide a completed Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Tool (HECVAT), which is a questionnaire that helps higher education institutions assess their vendor risk, and an IT Security Review Questionnaire (ITSRQ), which is used internally by the UM System to supplement HECVAT. Zotero’s developers did not respond to the questionnaires, which did not allow Missouri S&T or other campuses to properly evaluate the risk of cloud storage offered as part of paid subscriptions to Zotero.
The UM Office of General Counsel had requested changes that are required for the UM System’s status as a public corporation established by the State of Missouri. The developers stated that accounts, even those established with institutions email resources, belong to the individuals registering them.
Missouri S&T leadership was then engaged to discuss this matter with S&T IT. The decision was reached to retire the usage of Zotero on the S&T campus to better protect our campus community from risk and liability and to reduce duplication of software services, as directed by the UM President.
Missouri S&T currently has two established alternatives to Zotero available: Mendeley and EndNote. Both Mendeley and EndNote are available in AppsAnywhere for university computer systems running Windows. Installation of Mendeley can also be requested for macOS and Linux university computer systems and EndNote can be requested for macOS university computer systems by opening a ticket at help.mst.edu
The availability of EndNote is limited as Missouri S&T IT only maintains 50 floating licenses of EndNote X8 for the campus. Individuals may purchase newer versions of EndNote by opening a ticket at help.mst.edu and requesting a quote.