diff --git a/README b/README
index 595bbccf4..1a3b21c54 100644
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+++ b/README
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
 README - Georgia Tech Smoothing and Mapping library
 ---------------------------------------------------
 
+Quickstart
+
+In the root library folder execute:
+
+$] mkdir build
+$] cd build
+$] cmake ..
+$] make check (optional, runs unit tests)
+$] make install
+
 What is GTSAM ?
 
   GTSAM is a library of C++ classes that implement smoothing and