diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+Copyright Author name here (c) 2016
+
+All rights reserved.
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+      copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+      disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+      with the distribution.
+
+    * Neither the name of Author name here nor the names of other
+      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+      from this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
diff --git a/Setup.hs b/Setup.hs
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/Setup.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import Distribution.Simple
+main = defaultMain
diff --git a/read-env-var.cabal b/read-env-var.cabal
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/read-env-var.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+name:                read-env-var
+version:             0.1.0.0
+synopsis:            Functions for safely reading environment variables.
+description:         Please see README.md
+homepage:            https://github.com/cdepillabout/read-env-var#readme
+license:             BSD3
+license-file:        LICENSE
+author:              Dennis Gosnell
+maintainer:          cdep.illabout@gmail.com
+copyright:           2016 Dennis Gosnell
+category:            System
+build-type:          Simple
+-- extra-source-files:
+cabal-version:       >=1.10
+
+library
+  hs-source-dirs:      src
+  exposed-modules:     System.ReadEnvVar
+  build-depends:       base >= 4.6 && < 5
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
+  ghc-options:         -Wall
+
+test-suite read-env-var-doctest
+  type:                exitcode-stdio-1.0
+  main-is:             DocTest.hs
+  hs-source-dirs:      test
+  build-depends:       base
+                     , doctest
+                     , Glob
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
+  ghc-options:         -Wall -threaded -rtsopts -with-rtsopts=-N
+
+source-repository head
+  type:     git
+  location: git@github.com:cdepillabout/read-env-var.git
diff --git a/src/System/ReadEnvVar.hs b/src/System/ReadEnvVar.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/System/ReadEnvVar.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
+
+{-|
+Module      : System.ReadEnvVar
+Copyright   : (c) Dennis Gosnell, 2016
+License     : BSD-style (see LICENSE file)
+Maintainer  : cdep.illabout@gmail.com
+Stability   : experimental
+Portability : POSIX
+
+This Haskell module exports functions for safely reading environment variables.
+-}
+
+module System.ReadEnvVar
+    ( readEnvVar
+    , readEnvVarDef
+    ) where
+
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ < 710
+-- We don't need this import for GHC 7.10 as it exports all required functions
+-- from Prelude
+import Control.Applicative
+#endif
+
+import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
+import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
+import Text.Read (readMaybe)
+
+-- | Lookup a value from an environment variable and read it in with
+-- 'readMaybe'.  If the environment variable doesn't exist, or it can't be
+-- 'read', use the default value.
+--
+-- >>> import System.Environment (setEnv)
+-- >>> setEnv "TEST_ENV_VAR" "1000"
+-- >>> readEnvVarDef "TEST_ENV_VAR" 5 :: IO Int
+-- 1000
+-- >>> readEnvVarDef "THIS_ENV_VAR_WILL_NOT_EXIST" 5 :: IO Int
+-- 5
+readEnvVarDef :: Read a
+              => String -- ^ environment variable to lookup
+              -> a      -- ^ default value to use if the environment variable
+                        -- either does not exist, or cannot be 'read'
+              -> IO a
+readEnvVarDef envVar def = fromMaybe def <$> readEnvVar envVar
+
+-- | Lookup a value from an environment variable and read it in with
+-- 'readMaybe'.
+--
+-- >>> import System.Environment (setEnv)
+-- >>> setEnv "TEST_ENV_VAR" "2000"
+-- >>> readEnvVar "TEST_ENV_VAR" :: IO (Maybe Int)
+-- Just 2000
+-- >>> readEnvVar "THIS_ENV_VAR_WILL_NOT_EXIST" :: IO (Maybe Int)
+-- Nothing
+readEnvVar :: Read a
+           => String       -- ^ environment variable to lookup
+           -> IO (Maybe a)
+readEnvVar envVar = do
+    maybeEnvVal <- lookupEnv envVar
+    case maybeEnvVal of
+        Nothing -> return Nothing
+        Just envVal -> return $ readMaybe envVal
diff --git a/test/DocTest.hs b/test/DocTest.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/DocTest.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+
+module Main (main) where
+
+import Prelude
+
+import Data.Monoid ((<>))
+import System.FilePath.Glob (glob)
+import Test.DocTest (doctest)
+
+main :: IO ()
+main = glob "src/**/*.hs" >>= doDocTest
+
+doDocTest :: [String] -> IO ()
+doDocTest options = doctest $ options <> ghcExtensions
+
+ghcExtensions :: [String]
+ghcExtensions =
+    [
+    --   "-XConstraintKinds"
+    -- , "-XDataKinds"
+      "-XDeriveDataTypeable"
+    , "-XDeriveGeneric"
+    -- , "-XEmptyDataDecls"
+    , "-XFlexibleContexts"
+    -- , "-XFlexibleInstances"
+    -- , "-XGADTs"
+    -- , "-XGeneralizedNewtypeDeriving"
+    -- , "-XInstanceSigs"
+    -- , "-XMultiParamTypeClasses"
+    -- , "-XNoImplicitPrelude"
+    , "-XOverloadedStrings"
+    -- , "-XPolyKinds"
+    -- , "-XRankNTypes"
+    -- , "-XRecordWildCards"
+    , "-XScopedTypeVariables"
+    -- , "-XStandaloneDeriving"
+    -- , "-XTupleSections"
+    -- , "-XTypeFamilies"
+    -- , "-XTypeOperators"
+    ]