Creating a New EndNote Library
In EndNote, select File → New
Select where you want to save the library
Type the name of your new library
Click the "Save" button
More Details About Libraries
Libraries have two parts: a file with the extension .enl and a folder with extension .data.
The .data folder contains file attachments, term lists, and citations.
The number of references you can have in a library is unlimited - but it is best to keep it under 100,000.
You can create any number of libraries, but you can only sync or share one of them using EndNote Online
Libraries created on a PC can be used on a Mac, and vice versa.
It is very important to periodically back up your EndNote libraries. To do this in EndNote,
Select File → Compress Library (.enlx)
Select With File Attachments and All References in Library
Click on the Next button
Select where you want to save the file
Storing EndNote libraries in cloud-syncing folders or keeping read-write EndNote libraries on network drives or flash drives, can corrupt the data.
The tutorials below demonstrates the steps for creating a new library in EndNote 21 (timestamped) and EndNote 20 (video-only) for Windows users.
The following video-only tutorial demonstrates how to create a copy of your library in EndNote 20 for backup purposes or offline sharing.