diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1345131
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# OS X files
+.DS_Store
+
+# Logs
+logs
+*.log
+
+# Runtime data
+pids
+*.pid
+*.seed
+
+# Directory for instrumented libs generated by jscoverage/JSCover
+lib-cov
+
+# Coverage directory used by tools like istanbul
+coverage
+
+# Grunt intermediate storage (http://gruntjs.com/creating-plugins#storing-task-files)
+.grunt
+
+# node-waf configuration
+.lock-wscript
+
+# Compiled binary addons (http://nodejs.org/api/addons.html)
+build/Release
+
+# Dependency directory
+# https://www.npmjs.org/doc/misc/npm-faq.html#should-i-check-my-node_modules-folder-into-git
+node_modules
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e44bfca..354cfbc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,2 +1,49 @@
 # node-cleanup
+
 installs a cleanup handler that always runs on exiting node
+
+## Installation
+
+```
+npm install node-cleanup --save
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+nodeCleanup() installs a function that performs cleanup activities just before the node process exits. The cleanup function runs when the process exits normally, when the user presses *ctrl*-C, and when an exception is uncaught. The caller may specify the termination messages to use.
+
+```js
+var nodeCleanup = require('node-cleanup');
+
+nodeCleanup(function () {
+    // release resources here before node exits
+});
+```
+
+nodeCleanup() also ensures that ctrl-C is handled gracefully in contexts that already have exit handlers installed, such as Node Express. To receive just this benefit, the caller need not provide a cleanup handler.
+
+By default, `nodeCleanup()` writes `[ctrl-C]` to `stderr` when interrupted and `Uncaught exception...` to `stderr` when an uncaught exception occurs. You may override either or both of these values in a second parameter:
+
+```js
+var nodeCleanup = require('node-cleanup');
+
+nodeCleanup(function () {
+    // release resources here before node exits
+}, { ctrl_C: '^C' });
+```
+
+## Reference
+
+`nodeCleanup(cleanupHandler, messages)`
+
+Install a cleanup handler that reliably runs when node exits. Both parameters are optional. Calling `nodeCleanup()` without a `cleanupHandler` still provides the benefit of ensuring that other installed exit handlers run on *ctrl*-C.
+
+| Param | Description |
+| --- | --- |
+| cleanupHandler | A function that performs the final cleanup of resources before the node process exits. The function may write to `stderr` and `stdout`. It takes no parameters and can't abort the exit. The handler is optional, defaulting to a function that does nothing. |
+| messages | An optional object mapping any of the keys `ctrl_C` and `uncaughtException` to the message strings that output to stderr. Set a message to the empty string `''` to prevent output to `stderr` for its case. Default messages are provided omitted messages. |
+
+## Credit
+
+This code was borrowed and modified from [CanyonCasa](http://stackoverflow.com/users/3319552/canyoncasa)'s answer to a stackoverflow question. I found the code necessary for all my node projects. See [the stackoverflow answer](http://stackoverflow.com/a/21947851/650894) for more examples of use.
+
diff --git a/node-cleanup.js b/node-cleanup.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a931760
--- /dev/null
+++ b/node-cleanup.js
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/**
+ * nodeCleanup() installs a function that performs cleanup activities just
+ * before the node process exits. The cleanup function runs when the process
+ * exits normally, when the user presses ctrl-C, and when an exception is
+ * uncaught. The caller may specify the termination messages to use.
+ *
+ * nodeCleanup() also ensures that ctrl-C is handled gracefully in contexts
+ * that already have exit handlers installed, such as Node Express. To
+ * receive just this benefit, the caller need not provide a cleanup handler.
+ *
+ * This code was borrowed and modified from CanyonCasa's answer to a
+ * stackoverflow question. I found the code necessary for all my node
+ * projects. See the stackoverflow answer for example usage:
+ * http://stackoverflow.com/a/21947851/650894
+ *
+ * @param cleanupHandler A function that performs the final cleanup of
+ *      resources before the node process exits. The function may write to
+ *      stderr and stdout. It takes no parameters and can't abort the exit.
+ *      The handler is optional, defaulting to a function that does nothing.
+ * @param messages An optional object mapping any of the keys `ctrl_C` and
+ *      `uncaughtException` to the message strings that output to stderr.
+ *      Set a message to the empty string '' to prevent output to stderr
+ *      for its case. Default messages are provided omitted messages.
+ */
+
+module.exports = function nodeCleanup(cleanupHandler, messages) {
+
+    messages = messages || {};
+    if (typeof messages.ctrl_C !== 'string')
+        messages.ctrl_C = '[ctrl-C]';
+    if (typeof messages.uncaughtException !== 'string')
+        messages.uncaughtException = 'Uncaught exception...';
+
+    // attach user callback to the process event emitter.
+    // if no callback, it will still exit gracefully on Ctrl-C
+    cleanupHandler = cleanupHandler || noOp;
+    process.on('cleanup', cleanupHandler);
+
+    // do app-specific cleaning before exiting
+    process.on('exit', function () {
+        process.emit('cleanup');
+    });
+
+    // catch ctrl+c event and exit normally
+    process.on('SIGINT', function () {
+        if (messages.ctrl_C !== '')
+            process.stderr.write(messages.ctrl_C + "\n");
+        process.exit(2);
+    });
+
+    //catch uncaught exceptions, trace, then exit normally
+    process.on('uncaughtException', function(e) {
+        if (messages.uncaughtException !== '') {
+            process.stderr.write(messages.uncaughtException + "\n");
+            process.stderr.write(e.stack + "\n");
+        }
+        process.exit(99);
+    });
+};
+
+function noOp() {}; // for just the benefit of graceful SIGINTs
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8773ae1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+{
+  "name": "node-cleanup",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "installs a cleanup handler that always runs on exiting node",
+  "main": "node-cleanup.js",
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
+  },
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/jtlapp/node-cleanup.git"
+  },
+  "keywords": [
+    "node",
+    "exit",
+    "cleanup",
+    "sigint",
+    "ctrl-c"
+  ],
+  "author": "",
+  "contributors": [
+    {
+      "name": "CanyonCasa",
+      "url": "http://stackoverflow.com/users/3319552/canyoncasa"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "Joseph T. Lapp",
+      "email": "arachnojoe@gmail.com",
+      "url": "http://josephtlapp.com"
+    }
+  ],
+  "bugs": {
+    "url": "https://github.com/jtlapp/node-cleanup/issues"
+  },
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/jtlapp/node-cleanup#readme"
+}