Creating and setting up an EndNote library
- Create a new EndNote library
1. From the File menu, select New. EndNote presents a dialog prompting you to name and save the new library.
Tips:
- Don’t save your Library to the desktop (save it to your Documents folder); keep the filename short, but change it from the default MyEndnote Library!
- Only create one Library to store all your references. You can use Groups to organise your references. You can use one EndNote library with multiple Word documents, but not multiple EndNote libraries in one Word document.
- Mac users: when creating a new library leave 'Save as Package' unchecked. Save your Library in the EndNote applications folder or under your User folder in a dedicated EndNote library folder - not in the Desktop or Documents area or an icloud location - delete if you have created a library in either location to avoid confusion.
2. Enter a meaningful name for your new library and save to the desired location on your computer.
Tips:
- Don't save your library to the cloud or third party synced locations (eg Dropbox). With macOS Sierra & later, you may have your Desktop and Documents folder set to the iCloud. To disable this setting, see the section "Turn off Desktop and Documents" from this Apple knowledge base article.
3. In Windows the new library appears as an empty EndNote library, "Showing 0 out of 0 references". Mac users will only be able to view the Endnote menu across the top of their screen. Go to file>new>library. See the short video on EndNote and Mac on this page.
Note: The file extension for an EndNote library is .enl. EndNote will automatically create a .Data folder with the same name as your library and place the Data folder in the same location as your library. This Data folder contains important information and PDF files that must stay in the same location as your library for EndNote to work!
