You can import RIS and MAC citation file formats into Mandala Sources. You can import one RIS file at a time, but the format supports multiple citations in a single file. This lets you add sources in bulk. 

Most citation managers can export to RIS, including Zotero, Citavi, Mendeley, and EndNote. The Library of Congress catalog exports to MARC.

You can also save any item from the UVa Library's catalog as .ris. Open the item, click Item Actions, then Export to Zotero.

For help exporting to RIS, check out the external documentation from your citation manager. As a quick reference, here are the guides for Zotero, RefWorks, and Citavi.

To add citation files to your Mandala collection, click Import Records from the collection page.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Log in to sources.shanti.virginia.edu
  2. Open your collection
  3. Click Import Records
    • Find this button on the right sidebar
    • The record import page will open
  4. Click Choose File 
    • The file browser will open
  5. Open the file you want to import
    • The file must be in .ris or .mrc format
  6. Make sure the file type matches the file you just added 
  7. Choose the collection to which you want to add the new record
    • By default, this is the collection you opened in step 2
    • If you choose a different collection, the record will not be added to the original collection
  8. Click Import
    • A progress bar will appear
    • Once the file is imported, your new source(s) will appear in the source collection
  9. Check the citation(s) for accuracy