Browsing Your Library
The Reference Library is your central repository for all academic sources. Learn how to navigate, view, and manage your references efficiently.
Accessing the Library
Navigate to References > All References in your WordPress admin.
The reference library list view
Understanding the List View
The list view shows your references in a table format with sortable columns.
Default Columns
| Column | Shows |
|---|---|
| Title | Reference title (click to edit) |
| Authors | First author + “et al.” for multiple |
| Type | Article, Book, Chapter, etc. |
| Year | Publication year |
| Categories | Assigned categories |
| Date Added | When you added it |
Custom Columns
Custom columns showing additional data
Additional columns available via Screen Options:
- DOI – Digital Object Identifier
- Journal – For articles
- Publisher – For books
- Citations – Number of times cited in posts
- Collections – Collection membership
To enable columns:
- Click Screen Options (top right)
- Check desired columns
- Optionally adjust number of items per page
Sorting References
Click any column header to sort:
- Title – Alphabetical by title
- Authors – Alphabetical by first author’s surname
- Year – Chronological
- Date Added – By when you added them
Click again to reverse sort order (ascending/descending).
Filtering References
By Status
Use the status links above the table:
- All – Every reference
- Published – Live references
- Draft – Unpublished references
- Trash – Deleted references
By Type
Use the Type dropdown:
- All Types
- Article
- Book
- Chapter
- Conference Paper
- And more…
By Category
Use the Category dropdown to filter by your assigned categories.
By Date
Use the date dropdown to filter by when references were added:
- All dates
- Current month
- Previous months (listed individually)
Searching References
Use the search box (top right) to find references by:
- Title words
- Author names
- Journal name
- DOI
- Any text in the reference
Search tips:
- Use quotes for exact phrases:
"climate change" - Search author surnames:
Smith - Partial DOIs work:
10.1038
Quick Edit
Hover over any reference to see action links:
- Edit – Full edit screen
- Quick Edit – Inline editing for basic fields
- Trash – Delete the reference
- View – Preview the frontend display
Quick Edit lets you change without leaving the list:
- Title
- Slug
- Categories
- Tags
- Status
Bulk Actions
Select multiple references using checkboxes, then use Bulk Actions:
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Edit | Change category/status for all selected |
| Move to Trash | Delete all selected |
| Export | Download selected as BibTeX/RIS |
Selecting References
- Individual: Click checkbox next to each
- All on page: Click checkbox in header row
- Select all: Use “Select All” link that appears
Preview on Frontend
The View link shows how the reference appears to visitors:
References displayed on your site
Depending on your theme and settings, this shows:
- Full citation
- Abstract (if available)
- Links to DOI/URL
- Categories and tags
- Related posts
Reference Details (Edit Screen)
Click a reference title to open the full edit screen:
Main Editor
- Full title
- Abstract/description
- Notes
Side Panels
Reference Data All bibliographic fields (authors, journal, volume, etc.)
Auto-Cite Fetch or refresh data from identifiers
Categories Assign to categories
Tags Add keyword tags
Featured Image Optional cover image
Collections Add to collections
Keyboard Shortcuts
Navigate faster with keyboard shortcuts:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
j | Move to next reference |
k | Move to previous reference |
/ | Focus search box |
e | Edit selected reference |
q | Quick edit selected |
Enable in Screen Options > Keyboard Shortcuts.
Managing Large Libraries
For libraries with hundreds or thousands of references:
Use Categories
Create a category structure:
- By discipline (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- By project (Thesis, Article Draft, Course)
- By status (To Read, Read, Cited)
Use Collections
Create collections for specific purposes:
- “2024 Literature Review”
- “Chapter 3 Sources”
- “Share with Coauthor”
Use Tags
Add granular keywords:
- Methodology tags: “qualitative”, “meta-analysis”
- Topic tags: “climate”, “urban planning”
- Status tags: “needs-review”, “primary-source”
Regular Cleanup
Periodically review and:
- Remove duplicates
- Delete unused references
- Update outdated information
- Merge similar categories
Troubleshooting
References not appearing
- Check filter dropdowns (status, type, category, date)
- Clear search box
- Check you’re in the right site (multisite)
Columns missing
- Check Screen Options for hidden columns
- Some columns only show for certain reference types
Can’t delete reference
- Check if it’s cited in published posts
- You may need to remove citations first
Search not finding reference
- Try searching different fields
- Check spelling
- Search is case-insensitive
Next Steps
- Categories & Tags – Organize your library
- Search & Filter – Advanced searching
- Collections – Group references