Mendeley

Referencing software enables you to create a personal database of references which can then be automatically formatted for use in a bibliography. Mendeley is the referencing software that Loughborough University recommends and supports. Loughborough University has an Institutional subscription that gives staff and students extra benefits.

What can Mendeley do?

Mendeley allows you to download bibliographic references from databases, files or PDFs. These references can be sorted into folders, helping you to organise your research more efficiently. Within Word or LibreOffice you can import your references directly from Mendeley into your work. The references will be automatically formatted into the referencing style of your choise and a bibliography created, saving you time. Our Institutional subscription gives users 100GB of storage space, plenty for your research needs.

Who might use it?

Mendeley is open to everyone but is particularly useful for researchers, final year students or those doing dissertations.

System requirements

A Mendeley account is created on the web in conjunction with desktop software on your own personal PC or laptop. The desktop software is available on all University computers. This software is upgraded on a yearly basis, though there may be newer, updated versions available for installation on personal devices. 

New Mendeley users will automatically download the new Mendeley Reference Manager desktop software which has replaced the previous version of Mendeley known as "Mendeley Desktop". "Mendeley Desktop" is no longer being updated and although it has not yet been withdrawn, the software provider has indicated that they are "not allocating resources to improve Mendeley Desktop" and "cannot ensure its compatibility with upcoming operating systems without encountering significant issues".

Creating a Mendeley account

Before you can use Mendeley you will need to create an account. Do this on the web at www.mendeley.com using your Loughborough e-mail address but creating a different password than the University one. Ignore the prompt to download the desktop software unless you are working on a personal machine. Do not attempt to "Sign in via institution". This creates a separate account and can affect the functionality of the software. Read the "Creating a Mendeley Account" guide for further advice.

Further help

The Library provides a wide range of online support in getting started and using Mendeley.  A range of guides and videos are available via the Learn module - Managing References with Mendeley. If you have any enquiries or need help in using Mendeley, please contact your Academic Librarian.