Zotero, a free and open-source reference management software, has empowered millions of students, researchers, and individuals to master their information. Born at George Mason University, Zotero was initially a Firefox add-on that automatically captured citation information from web pages. Despite a multi-million dollar lawsuit from Thomson Reuters, the software thrived and evolved into a comprehensive research assistant. With features like citation management, PDF annotation, and collaboration tools, Zotero has transformed the research process. Its commitment to open-source and user freedom has made it a favorite among academics, and its non-profit model ensures that users control their own data. As Zotero continues to improve, its impact on education, research, and information management will only continue to grow.