Note: See Importing EndNote Libraries for specific instructions about merging two EndNote libraries.
To import a text file or an EndNote library into an EndNote library:
Open the library into which you want to import the references.
From the File menu, select Import.
Click the Choose button Use the top half of the dialog to locate and open the file you want to import. All files, except for EndNote libraries, must be plain text files. Select the file and click OK.
Select the appropriate import option from the Import Options list.
Select an option from the Duplicates list:
Import All: Imports all references, including duplicates.
Discard Duplicates: Imports all 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.
Select a Text Translation option.
This option allows you to specify the text character encoding of the file you import, so that extended characters transfer correctly. You should verify the setting with your database provider. Some U.S. databases that contain extended characters require ANSI-Latin1 or UTF8. MARC format files may require ANSEL translation. You might be able to use No Translation for text files that do not contain any extended characters.
Click Import to import the file.
Note: The time required to import a file, including an EndNote library, is proportionate to the size of the library and the number of references being imported. Refer to the progress indicator to determine when EndNote has completed the task.
When the import is complete, the newly imported references are displayed in an Imported References group. This is a perfect time to add a keyword to each imported reference with the Change Field command or to peruse the imported data to make sure it imported as expected. Make sure to check references that contain extended characters.
The Imported References group is a temporary group that is replaced each time you import another set of references. It is removed when you exit EndNote (although the references remain in the library).
To return all of your references to the library display (including the newly imported ones), select Show All References from the References menu or click on the All References group.