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RefWorks Cancelation: Intro

Frequently Asked Questions: About RefWorks

Why does UST Libraries need to cancel RefWorks? 

  • The decision to cancel was twofold: RefWorks is charging more and more every year and becoming unsustainably expensive. We also saw that there are many free or open-source citation managers that work just as well as RefWorks.

I use RefWorks. What do I need to do before June 2023? 

  • You will need to create a Zotero account and export your citations out of RefWorks and into Zotero. More information about the process is available on UST library's migrating RefWorks citations guide.

What if I miss the June 2023 deadline to get my citations out of RefWorks, is there anything I can do? 

  • No. It is very important to migrate your citations as there will be no access to RefWorks after June 2023. 

How is this cancelation being communicated to RefWorks users? 

  • In multiple ways: 
    • UST libraries are reaching out to all RefWorks users about the cancelation with information on how to migrate to Zotero 
    • UST libraries are publicizing the transition in the library newsletter, on the library homepage, and in faculty communications. 

How do I migrate my citations from RefWorks into Zotero? 

RefWorks Cancelation: June 2023

Due to high subscription costs, UST is canceling RefWorks in June 2023. Many universities and colleges across the country have also canceled RefWorks and migrated to other, more sustainable citation managers. Here are some things to keep in mind: 

Bibliographic data not migrated into Zotero by June 2023 will be lost.

Frequently Asked Questions: About Citation Managers

Can I pay for an individual account with RefWorks? 

  • Unfortunately, no. RefWorks does not offer individual accounts for purchase at this time.

Where can I learn how to migrate my citations to Zotero? 

Do I have to use Zotero? Are there any other options? 

  • There are many options! UST libraries and your friendly UST librarians will only be supporting transitions to Zotero at this time, but you can use any citation manager that works for you. 

Why did UST Libraries choose Zotero? 

  • After many conversations, UST libraries decided to begin by supporting Zotero. It is a solid option that is both free and open source and many, many colleges and universities support Zotero. It is possible that, in the future, UST libraries will support more citation managers. 

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