diff --git a/Graphics/HsExif.hs b/Graphics/HsExif.hs
--- a/Graphics/HsExif.hs
+++ b/Graphics/HsExif.hs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 	ExifValue(..),
 	parseFileExif,
 	parseExif,
+	readExifDateTime,
 	getDateTimeOriginal,
 	getOrientation,
 	ImageOrientation(..),
@@ -78,10 +79,11 @@
 	| ExifRational Int Int
 	-- ^ A rational number (numerator, denominator).
 	-- Sometimes we're used to it as rational (exposition time: 1/160),
-	-- sometimes as float (exposition compensation, we rather think -0.75)
+	-- sometimes as float (exposure compensation, we rather think -0.75)
 	-- 'show' will display it as 1/160.
 	| ExifUnknown Word16 Int -- type then value
-	-- ^ Unknown exif tag. Not a rarity, we don't support all existing tags.
+	-- ^ Unknown exif value type. Maybe float? If the JPEG file is not
+	-- corrupted, please send it to me.
 	deriving Eq
 
 instance Show ExifValue where
@@ -326,17 +328,20 @@
 signedInt32ToInt :: Word32 -> Int
 signedInt32ToInt w = fromIntegral (fromIntegral w :: Int32)
 
--- | Extract the date and time when the picture was taken
--- from the EXIF information.
-getDateTimeOriginal :: Map ExifTag ExifValue -> Maybe LocalTime
-getDateTimeOriginal exifData = do 
-	dateStr <- liftM show $ Map.lookup dateTimeOriginal exifData
+-- | Decode an EXIF date time value.
+readExifDateTime :: String -> LocalTime
+readExifDateTime dateStr = 
 	-- i know more elegant ways to code this.. parsec, regex, text..
 	-- but i don't want to bring in too many dependencies to this library.
 	-- the date is like "YYYY:MM:DD HH:MM:SS"
-	return $ LocalTime
+	LocalTime
 		(fromGregorian (read $ take 4 dateStr) (read $ take 2 . drop 5 $ dateStr) (read $ take 2 . drop 8 $ dateStr))
 		(TimeOfDay (read $ take 2 . drop 11 $ dateStr) (read $ take 2 . drop 14 $ dateStr) (read $ take 2 . drop 17 $ dateStr))
+
+-- | Extract the date and time when the picture was taken
+-- from the EXIF information.
+getDateTimeOriginal :: Map ExifTag ExifValue -> Maybe LocalTime
+getDateTimeOriginal exifData = liftM (readExifDateTime . show) $ Map.lookup dateTimeOriginal exifData
 
 data RotationDirection = MinusNinety
 	| Ninety
diff --git a/hsexif.cabal b/hsexif.cabal
--- a/hsexif.cabal
+++ b/hsexif.cabal
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 -- documentation, see http://haskell.org/cabal/users-guide/
 
 name:                hsexif
-version:             0.2.0.0
+version:             0.2.0.1
 synopsis:            EXIF handling library in pure Haskell
 description:         The hsexif library provides functions for working with EXIF data
                      contained in JPEG files. Currently it only supports reading the data.