diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ae96af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+etherpad-api/api.key
+Jinja-prototype/index.html
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etherpad-api/etherpad-requests.py b/etherpad-api/etherpad-requests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..49d3690
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etherpad-api/etherpad-requests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import urllib.request
+import urllib.parse
+import json
+from datetime import datetime
+
+
+# REQUIRES: Etherpad API KEY stored in api.key
+
+with open('api.key', 'r') as apikey_f:
+    apikey = apikey_f.read()
+
+pad_urlbase = "https://pad.xpub.nl/api/1/"  # xpub pad
+pad_urlmethods = {"get": "getText",
+                  "set": "setText",
+                  "authors": "listAuthorsOfPad"}
+
+# see more methods in: https://etherpad.org/doc/v1.5.7/#index_http_api
+
+
+def createurl(urlbase, urlmethods, method, pad, key, text=''):
+    # creates well formated urls
+    # to query/edit the etherpad
+    url_vars = {'apikey': key, 'padID': pad}
+    if len(text) > 0:  # if no text is input
+        url_vars['text'] = text
+    url_vars_dict = urllib.parse.urlencode(url_vars)
+    url = "{base}{method}?{vars}".format(base=urlbase,
+                                         method=urlmethods[method],
+                                         vars=url_vars_dict)
+    return url
+
+
+def padrequest(url):
+    # upon being invoked opens the url
+    # and loads the JSON response
+    # returning the text
+    request = urllib.request.urlopen(url)
+    request_read = request.read().decode('utf-8')
+    request_dict = json.loads(request_read)  # response to JSON dictionary
+    return request_dict
+
+
+# GET TEXT FROM PAD 
+# from foo pad https://pad.xpub.nl/p/foo
+# by creating url:
+url = createurl(urlbase=pad_urlbase,
+                urlmethods=pad_urlmethods,
+                method='get',
+                pad='foo',
+                key=apikey)
+response = padrequest(url) # requesting url and get response
+
+print('----> get request', '\n',
+      url, '\n',
+      response['data']['text'])
+
+
+
+
+# ADD TEXT TO THE PAD 
+# to foo pad (https://pad.xpub.nl/p/foo)
+
+now = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") # using current time
+new_text = "this is now: " + now
+# added old_text + new_text to
+old_new_text = response['data']['text'] + '\n' + new_text
+
+# by creating url: w/ set method and and text
+url = createurl(urlbase=pad_urlbase,
+                urlmethods=pad_urlmethods,
+                method='set',
+                pad='foo',
+                key=apikey,
+                text=old_new_text)
+
+# create a request
+response = padrequest(url)
+print('----> set URL', '\n', url)