diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd4886df2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Contributing
+
+To contribute to this repository, fork it and send pull requests.
+
+## Set up your environment
+
+This project uses [Poetry](https://python-poetry.org/) for dependency management, tests, and linting.
+
+1. Clone this respository
+2. Run `poetry install` 
+
+### Unit Tests
+
+We use [Pytest](https://docs.pytest.org/en/7.1.x/) as our test runner. Invoke it with `poetry run pytest`, all other arguments are passed directly to `pytest`.
+
+#### All tests
+```bash
+poetry run pytest tests
+```
+
+#### Only a specific test file
+
+```bash
+poetry run pytest tests/tests.py
+```
+
+#### Only a specific method
+
+```bash
+poetry run pytest tests/tests.py::ClientTestSuite::test_closing_connection_closes_commands
+```
+
+### Code formatting
+
+This project uses [Black](https://pypi.org/project/black/).
+
+```
+poetry run black src
+```
+## Pull Request Process
+
+1. Update the [CHANGELOG.md](README.md) or similar documentation with details of changes you wish to make, if applicable.
+2. Add any appropriate tests.
+3. Make your code or other changes.
+4. Review guidelines such as
+   [How to write the perfect pull request][github-perfect-pr], thanks!
+
+[github-perfect-pr]: https://blog.github.com/2015-01-21-how-to-write-the-perfect-pull-request/
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f07233866..45251507f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
 # Databricks SQL Connector for Python
 
+[![PyPI](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/databricks-sql-connector?style=flat-square)](https://pypi.org/project/databricks-sql-connector/)
+[![Downloads](https://pepy.tech/badge/databricks-sql-connector)](https://pepy.tech/project/databricks-sql-connector)
+
 The Databricks SQL Connector for Python allows you to develop Python applications that connect to Databricks clusters and SQL warehouses. It is a Thrift-based client with no dependencies on ODBC or JDBC. It conforms to the [Python DB API 2.0 specification](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0249/).
 
 This connector uses Arrow as the data-exchange format, and supports APIs to directly fetch Arrow tables. Arrow tables are wrapped in the `ArrowQueue` class to provide a natural API to get several rows at a time.
 
 You are welcome to file an issue here for general use cases. You can also contact Databricks Support [here](help.databricks.com).
 
-# Documentation
+## Requirements
+
+Python 3.7 or above is required.
+
+## Documentation
 
 For the latest documentation, see
 
@@ -23,9 +30,10 @@ Example usage:
 from databricks import sql
 
 connection = sql.connect(
-  server_hostname='<server-hostname>',
-  http_path='<http-path>',
-  access_token='<personal-access-token>')
+  server_hostname='********.databricks.com',
+  http_path='/sql/1.0/endpoints/****************',
+  access_token='dapi********************************')
+
 
 cursor = connection.cursor()
 
@@ -38,8 +46,17 @@ cursor.close()
 connection.close()
 ```
 
-Where:
-- `<server-hostname>` is the Databricks instance host name.
-- `<http-path>` is the HTTP Path either to a Databricks SQL endpoint (e.g. /sql/1.0/endpoints/1234567890abcdef),
-   or to a Databricks Runtime interactive cluster (e.g. /sql/protocolv1/o/1234567890123456/1234-123456-slid123)
-- `<personal-access-token>` is a HTTP Bearer access token, e.g. a Databricks Personal Access Token.
+In the above example:
+- `server-hostname` is the Databricks instance host name.
+- `http-path` is the HTTP Path either to a Databricks SQL endpoint (e.g. /sql/1.0/endpoints/1234567890abcdef),
+or to a Databricks Runtime interactive cluster (e.g. /sql/protocolv1/o/1234567890123456/1234-123456-slid123)
+- `personal-access-token` is the Databricks Personal Access Token for the account that will execute commands and queries
+
+
+## Contributing
+
+See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md)
+
+## License
+
+[Apache License 2.0](LICENSE)