diff --git a/scripts/README.md b/scripts/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4dd7da1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# The Medley scripts directory
+
+## doing different kinds of "load ups"
+
+Loading from an old 'starter' sysout
+* loadup-init.sh           -- phase 1 (create init.dlinit)
+* loadup-mid-from-init.sh  -- phase 2 (creates init.sysout)
+* loadup-lisp-from-mid.sh  -- phase 3 (creates lisp.sysout)
+* loadup-full-from-lisp.sh -- phase 4 (creates full.sysout)
+* loadup-aux.sh            -- phase 5,(creates exports.all whereis.hash
+
+* loadup-full.sh  -- Phase 1-4 only
+
+* loadup-db.sh    -- phase 6 (makes unreleased 'fuller.sysout' and fuller.database
+* copy-all.sh     -- copy loadups from tmp/ to loadups/ and library/
+
+
+## possibly handy scripts
+
+* lsee <lispfile>  -- show lisp file with font-control-characters rendered as linux color changes
+* cpv file1 file2  -- copies file1 to file2 (or directory name) adding versions
+* restore-versions.sh -- pulls out old versions from git history and links in with medley versioning conventions
+
+## Not useful anymore 
+
+* eolconv.sh  -- convert CR to LF and delete font control characters (use lsee)
+* install-diff-filter.sh -- installed eolconv.sh as a filter before using github diff (use Lisp GitFns instead)
+* fixlinks & fixlinks.aux  -- put back hardlinks between file and file.~NN~ where NN is highest version (restore-versions does this)
+
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-and-release.sh b/scripts/loadup-and-release.sh
index cee4e2ac..bdabe03c 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-and-release.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadup-and-release.sh
@@ -8,5 +8,6 @@ if [ ! -x run-medley ] ; then
 fi
 
 ./scripts/loadup-all.sh  &&  \
-    ./scripts/release-medley.sh
+./scripts/copy-all.sh &&     \
+./scripts/release-medley.sh
 
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-aux.sh b/scripts/loadup-aux.sh
index a71dfaae..211accbe 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-aux.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadup-aux.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ if [ ! -f run-medley ] ; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+mkdir -p tmp
 touch tmp/loadup.timestamp
 
 scr="-sc 1024x768 -g 1042x790"
diff --git a/scripts/loadup-init.sh b/scripts/loadup-init.sh
index 85c387c0..9d97dc13 100755
--- a/scripts/loadup-init.sh
+++ b/scripts/loadup-init.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ fi
 
 scr="-sc 1024x768 -g 1042x790"
 
+mkdir -p tmp
 touch tmp/loadup.timestamp
 
 ./run-medley $scr -loadup "$MEDLEYDIR"/sources/LOADUP-INIT.LISP loadups/starter.sysout