diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bbd7a3a..7b220ac 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -434,3 +434,8 @@ FodyWeavers.xsd
 *.msix
 *.msm
 *.msp
+
+# Local change logs
+change_log_metz.md
+
+
diff --git a/src/lib_brecal_utils/brecal_utils/__init__.py b/src/lib_brecal_utils/brecal_utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d284d55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib_brecal_utils/brecal_utils/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+from ._version import __version__
diff --git a/src/lib_brecal_utils/brecal_utils/_version.py b/src/lib_brecal_utils/brecal_utils/_version.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15cf400
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib_brecal_utils/brecal_utils/_version.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+__version__="0.0.1"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/lib_brecal_utils/environment.yml b/src/lib_brecal_utils/environment.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb7e07d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib_brecal_utils/environment.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+name: brecal
+
+channels:
+  - conda-forge
+  - anaconda
+  - defaults
+
+dependencies:
+  - pip
+  - colorama>=0.4.6=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - coverage>=7.3.0=py311h459d7ec_0
+  - ipykernel>=6.25.1=pyh71e2992_0
+  - ipython>=8.14.0=pyh41d4057_0
+  - jupyterlab>=4.0.5=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - mamba>=1.4.9=py311h3072747_0
+  - conda-forge::matplotlib-base>=3.7.2=py311h54ef318_0
+  - conda-forge::matplotlib>=3.7.2=py311h38be061_0
+  - matplotlib-inline>=0.1.6=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - pytest>=7.4.0=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - python>=3.11.4=hab00c5b_0_cpython
+  - pytz>=2023.3=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - setuptools>=68.0.0=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - tqdm>=4.66.1=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - typing_extensions>=4.7.1=pyha770c72_0
+  - typing_utils>=0.1.0=pyhd8ed1ab_0
+  - conda-forge::pandas>=2.1.0=py311h320fe9a_0
+  - conda-forge::opencv>=4.7.0=py311h38be061_1
+
+  - pip:
+  # pip packages and wheels
+    - -e /home/scope/brecal/src/lib_brecal_utils/.
+
+prefix: /home/scope/anaconda3/envs/brecal
diff --git a/src/lib_brecal_utils/setup.py b/src/lib_brecal_utils/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44b0590
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib_brecal_utils/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from setuptools import find_packages, setup
+
+package_name = "brecal_utils"
+
+exec(open(f'{package_name}/_version.py').read()) # obtains __version__
+setup(
+    name=package_name,
+    packages=find_packages(),
+    version=__version__,
+    description='initializing the library. testing initial imports and relations. the license type is to be determined',
+    author='Max Metz',
+    license='to be determined',
+)
diff --git a/src/lib_brecal_utils/tests/__init__.py b/src/lib_brecal_utils/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29