Bibliography Management Tools
Bibliographic management software enables users to organise, import, and manage references, assisting in the creation of bibliographies and the insertion of citations into academic texts.
Among the many software solutions available, the University Library Service recommends:
The Library Service also offers training courses on the use of these tools for all members of the University of Milan community (see the calendar). Materials, slides, and recorded lectures from past sessions are made available on the website.
Comparative tables
| Feature | Citavi | EndNote Basic | Mendeley Institutional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Purchased by the University | Free. The desktop version requires a paid subscription. See comparison of the two versions | The Institutional version is available through an agreement with Elsevier. A free version with limited features is also available |
| Access | Desktop and online version | Free online version. The desktop version is paid | Desktop and online version |
| Operating System | Windows. Emulator for Mac | Web browser | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Storage space for attachments | 5GB (additional storage available for purchase) | 2 GB | 100 GB |
| Importing citations from databases | Yes (RIS format or via Picker) | Yes (RIS format) | Yes (RIS format or via Web Importer) |
| Importing citations from catalogues | Yes (RIS format or via Picker) | Yes (RIS format) | Yes (RIS format or via Web Importer) |
| Importing citations from websites | Yes (via Citavi Picker) | NO | Yes (Mendeley Web Importer plug-in) |
| Automatic retrieval of citation data from PDFs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to annotate PDFs | Yes | NO | Yes |
| Exporting annotated files | Yes | NO | Yes |
| Citation styles | Over 10,000 styles available | Includes the most commonly used styles (about 20) | Almost 7,000 citation styles available |
| Inserting and managing citations in texts | Yes, via Citavi Word Add-In and Citavi Assistant for Mac | Yes, via Cite While You Write plug-in (available for Windows and Mac) | Yes, via MS Word plug-in (recommended) or Mendeley Cite |
| Collaboration and data sharing | Yes, with team creation | Yes (reference sharing only) | Yes, with team creation |
| Ability to create document structure (chapters, sections, etc.) and export to Word | Yes, via Citavi Desktop (to Word only) | NO | Yes (RTF format only) |
| Available as a mobile app | NO | Yes, only for iOS | Yes (for Android and iOS) |
| Key advantages | Combines text editing capabilities with the ability to import websites and images as citations | Free. Can be accessed from any internet-connected device. Mac-compatible | Fairly easy to use. Available both locally and remotely. Compatible with Mac and Linux |
| I need to... | Recommended Tool(s) | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Work on multiple computers or devices | EndNote Basic Mendeley | All these tools are web-based. Mendeley also offers a desktop version that syncs with the web version |
| Work offline | Citavi Mendeley | Both allow you to keep a local archive on your computer and work without an internet connection |
| Save images and websites | Citavi | Citavi allows users to save web images in JPG format (max 300 × 300 pixels) and websites in PDF format |
| Manage a large number of citations | All tools | Each tool is designed to handle extensive bibliographic data |
| Store and manage a large number of attachments | Mendeley | Mendeley Institutional offers 100GB of storage. Citavi provides 5GB of free storage (with paid options for additional space). EndNote Basic includes 2GB of storage |
| Share bibliographies with a research group | All tools | Each tool allows users to share references with collaborators |
| Structure my final document (chapters, sections, etc.) | Citavi Mendeley | Both offer some text-editing features for document structuring |
| Schedule tasks for completing my research | Citavi | Citavi includes a planning tool to help organise research tasks |
Citavi
Citavi is a bibliographic management tool developed by Swiss Academic Software, designed particularly to support the writing of academic papers. In addition to standard citation management features, it offers advanced text-editing functionalities.
Beyond the core functions of a reference manager, Citavi includes a built-in text editor. Key features include:
- Organising and sharing references for academic writing, including tables, images, and web pages.
- Saving citations and PDFs from databases or the web using the Citavi Picker tool.
- Selecting the most suitable citation style and modifying it automatically from a preloaded list.
- Structuring a document by defining chapters and sections.
- Importing both the document structure and selected citations directly into Microsoft Word.
- Creating bibliographies.
- Using the Planning function to facilitate discussions between students and supervisors regarding bibliographic research and material organisation.
The University Library Service has acquired a licence for 130 concurrent users, valid until 31 July 2025. Existing users must renew their licences following the instructions provided via email by Citavi. New users can activate their accounts by following these steps:
- Select the appropriate user category (Academic staff, researchers, or students) and enter a university email address (name.surname@unimi.it or name.surname@studenti.unimi.it).
- Confirm the email address via the verification link sent to the inbox.
- Complete the registration by entering the verified email address and setting a password.
- Download and install the software to begin using it.
A web version of Citavi is also available, enabling Mac users to access the tool.
To link Citavi to the University of Milan Digital Library, follow the instructions provided by the University Library Service (see Citavi quick links).
Citavi provides contextual help, FAQs, and tutorials. For further information or assistance, please contact service@citavi.com
EndNote
EndNote, developed by Clarivate, is a reference management tool closely integrated with Web of Science. It allows users to search, organise, and share bibliographic references, which can then be incorporated into academic writing. A plug-in installation is required.
Key features of EndNote include:
- Organising and sharing references for research and writing.
- Selecting the appropriate citation style.
- Inserting citations directly into Microsoft Word documents.
- Creating bibliographies.
EndNote is available in three versions: Basic (Web-based, limited, and free) – ideal for beginners; Desktop (Full version, subscription-based) – suitable for advanced users; iPad version – for mobile access.
The main differences between these versions lie in storage capacity (2GB vs unlimited) and the number of available citation styles.
The University provides access to the Basic version, which is freely available online.
Mendeley
Mendeley, developed by Elsevier, is a bibliographic reference manager available in both web-based and desktop versions. It allows users to store and organise references, insert citations into documents, annotate PDFs, and share bibliographies with other users. It also offers iOS and Android apps and requires the installation of a plug-in.
A key feature of Mendeley is the Web Importer, which captures citation data directly from websites.
Key features of Mendeley include:
- Organising and sharing references for research and writing.
- Saving citations and PDFs from databases or the web using Mendeley Web Importer.
- Selecting the most suitable citation style and modifying it automatically from a vast selection.
- Inserting citations directly into Microsoft Word documents.
- Structuring research papers with chapters and sections, exporting them in RTF format.
- Creating bibliographies.
Through an agreement with Elsevier, all University of Milan users have access to the Institutional Edition of Mendeley, which offers extended features, including 100GB of storage (compared to the standard free version) and unlimited group creation for collaborative research.
To activate the Institutional Edition, users must register while connected to the University network. After this initial registration, access will also be available from home, provided that users log in via the University network at least once a year to maintain access rights.
As announced in an email sent to all users on 1 January 2022, the Mendeley Desktop application is no longer available for download as of 1 September 2022 and has been replaced by Mendeley Reference Manager (MRM). Users who have already installed Mendeley Desktop may continue using it, but its support will eventually be discontinued. Mendeley will notify users well in advance before deactivating the software.
The Mendeley plug-in for Word is not compatible with Microsoft 365. Users of the University-provided Microsoft 365 suite can use Mendeley Cite instead.
For any queries or support, users can contact supporto.office365@unimi.it
Mendeley also offers a comprehensive collection of guides and resources to assist users.
