Mendeley is free academic software that allows users to manage and share research papers, discover research trends, and connect with other researchers. It can import papers from online databases or by watching a folder on your computer. Users can add papers to their Mendeley library, add tags and notes, and synchronize their library online. Mendeley allows users to cite papers in Word and OpenOffice documents, share references with other researchers through private or public groups, and build their professional research profile on the Mendeley network.