--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2011-05-03  Reuben Thomas  <rrt@sc3d.org>
+
+	readme-release: new module with release instructions
+	* modules/readme-release: New module.
+	* top/README-release: New file, from coreutils, grep, diffutils.
+	* MODULES.html.sh (Support for maintaining and releasing): Add it.
+
 2011-05-02  Eric Blake  <eblake@redhat.com>
 
 	fflush: also replace fclose when fixing fflush

--- a/MODULES.html.sh
+++ b/MODULES.html.sh
@@ -3476,6 +3476,7 @@
   func_module gnupload
   func_module maintainer-makefile
   func_module mktempd
+  func_module readme-release
   func_module update-copyright
   func_module useless-if-before-free
   func_module vc-list-files

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/readme-release
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+Description:
+Add release instructions customized for the package.
+
+You should add a line like
+
+perl -pi -e "s/\@PACKAGE\@/$package/g" README-release
+
+to autogen.sh or bootstrap.conf's epilogue function to patch the
+package name in.  This is particularly handy for making various URLs
+copy-and-pastable.
+
+Note that, as with any gnulib-tool supplied file, README-release can
+be customized via a .diff file.  This is an easy way to add
+package-specific instructions.
+
+Files:
+top/README-release
+
+Depends-on:
+
+configure.ac:
+
+Makefile.am:
+
+Include:
+
+License:
+GPLed build tool
+
+Maintainer:
+bug-gnulib@gnu.org

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/top/README-release
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+Here are most of the steps we (maintainers) follow when making a release.
+
+* start from a clean, up-to-date git directory.
+
+    git checkout master; git pull
+
+* Run ./configure && make maintainer-clean
+
+* Ensure that the desired versions of autoconf, automake, etc.
+  are in your PATH.  See the buildreq list in bootstrap.conf for
+  the complete list.
+
+* Ensure that you're on "master" with no uncommitted diffs.
+  This should produce no output: git checkout master; git diff
+
+* Ensure that you've pushed all changes that belong in the release
+  and that the NixOS/Hydra autobuilder is reporting all is well:
+
+      http://hydra.nixos.org/jobset/gnu/@PACKAGE@-master
+
+* Run bootstrap one last time.  This downloads any new translations:
+
+    ./bootstrap
+
+* Pre-release testing:
+  Ensure that make check syntax-check succeeds.
+
+* Run "make distcheck"
+
+* Set the date, version number, and release type [stable/alpha/beta] on
+  line 3 of NEWS, commit that, and tag the release by running e.g.,
+
+    build-aux/do-release-commit-and-tag X.Y stable
+
+* Run the following to create release tarballs.  Your choice selects the
+  corresponding upload-to destination in the emitted gnupload command.
+  The different destinations are specified in cfg.mk.  See the definitions
+  of gnu_ftp_host-{alpha,beta,stable}.
+
+    # "TYPE" must be stable, beta or alpha
+    make TYPE
+
+* Test the tarball.  copy it to a few odd-ball systems and ensure that
+  it builds and passes all tests.
+
+* While that's happening, write the release announcement that you will
+  soon post.  Start with the template, $HOME/announce-@PACKAGE@-X.Y
+  that was just created by that "make" command.
+
+Once all the builds and tests have passed,
+
+* Run the gnupload command that was suggested by your "make stable" run above.
+
+* Wait a few minutes (maybe up to 30?) and then use the release URLs to
+  download all tarball/signature pairs and use gpg --verify to ensure
+  that they're all valid.
+
+* Push the NEWS-updating changes and the new tag:
+
+    v=$(cat .prev-version)
+    git push origin master tag v$v
+
+* Announce it on Savannah first, so you can include the preferable
+  savannah.org announcement link in the email message.
+
+  From here:
+    https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/@PACKAGE@/
+  click on the "submit news", then write something like the following:
+  (If there is no such button, then enable "News" for the project via
+   the Main -> "Select Features" menu item, or via this link:
+   https://savannah.gnu.org/project/admin/editgroupfeatures.php?group=@PACKAGE@)
+
+    Subject: @PACKAGE@-X.Y released [stable]
+    +verbatim+
+    ...paste the announcement here...
+    -verbatim-
+
+  Then go here to approve it:
+    https://savannah.gnu.org/news/approve.php?group=@PACKAGE@
+
+* Send the announcement email message.
+
+* After each non-alpha release, update the on-line manual accessible via
+
+    http://www.gnu.org/software/@PACKAGE@/manual/
+
+  by running this:
+
+    build-aux/gnu-web-doc-update