Importing EndNote Libraries

The advantage of using the Import command to combine libraries is its ability to filter out duplicate references during the import operation.

Note: Before merging libraries, it is a good idea to make a backup copy of the library into which you are transferring references. See Saving a Compressed Copy of a Library and Saving a Copy of a Library for information an making a backup.

To import an EndNote library into an EndNote library:

Open the library into which you want to import the references.
From the File menu, select Import > File.
Click the Choose button. Locate and select the library you want to import, then click the Open button.
From the Import Options, select EndNote Library.
Select an option from the Duplicates list:

Import All: Imports the references, including duplicates.
Discard Duplicates: Imports the references, except duplicates.
Import into Duplicates Library: Duplicate references are imported into a library called File-Dupl.enl, where "File" is the name of the library into which you are importing.

By default, a reference is considered a duplicate when the Author, Year, Title, and Reference Type match a reference already in the library. See Duplicates Preferences if you would like to change the duplicates criteria.

Set the Text Translation option to No Translation. Extended characters, saved as Unicode in EndNote, will transfer correctly.
Click Import to import the file.

Note: The time required to import an EndNote library is proportionate to the size of the library.

When the import is complete, the library displays the contents of the Imported References temporary group. This is the time to add a keyword to each imported reference with the Change Fields command or to peruse the imported data to make sure it imported as expected. Make sure to check references that contain extended characters.