diff --git a/doc/developers.txt b/doc/developers.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c366fd1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/developers.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Instructions for VIVO developers
+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+If you are working from the VIVO distribution files, you should follow the 
+instructions in "install.txt", in this directory.
+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+If you are working from the VIVO source files, checked out from the Subversion
+repository, then your working area does not contain the "vitro-core" directory.
+
+Follow these steps:
+
+  1) In the VIVO working area, create deploy.properties as a copy of 
+     example.deploy.properties
+     
+  2) Check out the Vitro source files from Subversion into a separate working 
+     area.
+
+  3) Modify deploy.properties (created in step 1) so vitro.core.dir points to
+     the Vitro working area (created in step 2). For example:
+        vitro.core.dir = ../vitro
+        
+  4) Follow the instructions in "install.txt" to complete the installation.
+ 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/install.txt b/doc/install.txt
index e59a6b5b..9f2d4e30 100644
--- a/doc/install.txt
+++ b/doc/install.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ PLEASE NOTE: It is assumed that you are performing a clean install, including
 emptying an existing database and removing a previous installation from the 
 tomcat webapps directory. Product functionality may not be as expected if you 
 install over an existing installation of an earlier version.
+
+VIVO DEVELOPERS:
+If you are working the VIVO source code from Subversion, the instructions are
+slightly different. Please consult "developers.txt" in this directory.
  
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
@@ -75,6 +79,11 @@ At the top level of the unpacked distribution, copy the file
 example.deploy.properties to a file named simply deploy.properties. This file 
 sets several properties used in compilation and deployment.
 
+                Directory where Vitro code is located
+                (this is used by developers, and should not be changed)
+property name:  vitro.core.dir
+example value:  ./vitro-core
+
                 Directory where tomcat is installed
 property name:  tomcat.home
 example value:  /usr/local/tomcat