diff --git a/Data/UserId.hs b/Data/UserId.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Data/UserId.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE DeriveDataTypeable, DeriveGeneric, GeneralizedNewtypeDeriving, TemplateHaskell #-}
+{- | This module provides a `UserId` type plus some useful instances for web development. -}
+module Data.UserId where
+
+import Control.Lens      ((?=), (.=), (^.), (.~), makeLenses, view, set)
+import Data.Aeson        (FromJSON(..), ToJSON(..), Result(..), fromJSON)
+import Data.Data         (Data)
+import Data.SafeCopy     (SafeCopy, base, deriveSafeCopy)
+import Data.Typeable     (Typeable)
+import GHC.Generics      (Generic)
+import Text.Boomerang.TH (makeBoomerangs)
+import Web.Routes        (PathInfo(..))
+import Web.Routes.TH     (derivePathInfo)
+
+-- | a 'UserId' uniquely identifies a user.
+newtype UserId = UserId { _unUserId :: Integer }
+    deriving (Eq, Ord, Enum, Read, Show, Data, Typeable, Generic)
+deriveSafeCopy 1 'base ''UserId
+makeLenses ''UserId
+makeBoomerangs ''UserId
+
+instance ToJSON   UserId where toJSON (UserId i) = toJSON i
+instance FromJSON UserId where parseJSON v = UserId <$> parseJSON v
+
+instance PathInfo UserId where
+    toPathSegments (UserId i) = toPathSegments i
+    fromPathSegments = UserId <$> fromPathSegments
+
+-- | get the next `UserId`
+succUserId :: UserId -> UserId
+succUserId (UserId i) = UserId (succ i)
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+Copyright (c) 2015, Jeremy Shaw
+
+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 Jeremy Shaw 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
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Setup.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import Distribution.Simple
+main = defaultMain
diff --git a/userid.cabal b/userid.cabal
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/userid.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+name:                userid
+version:             0.1.0.0
+synopsis:            A library which provides the UserId type and useful instances for web development
+description:         Includes instances for SafeCopy, Lens, Boomerang, PathInfo and more
+homepage:            http://www.github.com/Happstack/userid
+license:             BSD3
+license-file:        LICENSE
+author:              Jeremy Shaw
+maintainer:          jeremy@n-heptane.com
+category:            Data
+build-type:          Simple
+cabal-version:       >=1.10
+
+library
+  exposed-modules:     Data.UserId
+  build-depends:       base          >=4.8   && < 4.9,
+                       aeson         >= 0.9  && < 0.10,
+                       boomerang     >= 1.4  && < 1.5,
+                       lens          >= 4.9  && < 4.13,
+                       safecopy      >= 0.8  && < 0.9,
+                       web-routes    >= 0.27 && < 0.28,
+                       web-routes-th >= 0.22 && < 0.23
+  default-language:    Haskell2010