diff --git a/lib/database.js b/lib/database.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c0a47f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/database.js
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/**
+ * A custom library to establish a database connection
+ */
+'use strict';
+var mongoose = require('mongoose');
+
+var db = function () {
+    return {
+
+        /**
+         * Open a connection to the database
+         * @param conf
+         */
+        config: function (conf) {
+            mongoose.connect('mongodb://' + conf.host + '/' + conf.database);
+            var db = mongoose.connection;
+            db.on('error', console.error.bind(console, 'connection error:'));
+            db.once('open', function callback() {
+                console.log('db connection open');
+            });
+        }
+    };
+};
+
+module.exports = db();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9991f8a..710f1aa 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,33 +1,34 @@
 {
-    "name": "kraken-example-shopping-cart",
-    "version": "0.0.1",
-    "description": "A non-trivial kraken app",
-    "author": "@LennyMarkus",
-    "main": "index.js",
-    "scripts": {
-        "test": "grunt test",
-        "start": "node index.js"
-    },
-    "engines": {
-        "node": ">=0.10.0"
-    },
-    "dependencies": {
-        "kraken-js": "~0.6.1",
-        "express": "~3.4.4",
-        "adaro": "~0.1.x",
-        "nconf": "~0.6.8",
-        "less": "~1.3.3",
-        "dustjs-linkedin": "~2.0.3",
-        "dustjs-helpers": "~1.1.1",
-        "makara": "~0.3.0"
-    },
-    "devDependencies": {
-        "mocha": "~1.10.0",
-        "grunt": "~0.4.1",
-        "grunt-contrib-less": "~0.7.0",
-        "grunt-dustjs": "~1.1.1",
-        "grunt-contrib-clean": "~0.5.0",
-        "grunt-contrib-jshint": "~0.6.4",
-        "grunt-mocha-cli": "~1.3.0"
-    }
+  "name": "kraken-example-shopping-cart",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "A non-trivial kraken app",
+  "author": "@LennyMarkus",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "grunt test",
+    "start": "node index.js"
+  },
+  "engines": {
+    "node": ">=0.10.0"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "kraken-js": "~0.6.1",
+    "express": "~3.4.4",
+    "adaro": "~0.1.x",
+    "nconf": "~0.6.8",
+    "less": "~1.3.3",
+    "dustjs-linkedin": "~2.0.3",
+    "dustjs-helpers": "~1.1.1",
+    "makara": "~0.3.0",
+    "mongoose": "~3.8.1"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "mocha": "~1.10.0",
+    "grunt": "~0.4.1",
+    "grunt-contrib-less": "~0.7.0",
+    "grunt-dustjs": "~1.1.1",
+    "grunt-contrib-clean": "~0.5.0",
+    "grunt-contrib-jshint": "~0.6.4",
+    "grunt-mocha-cli": "~1.3.0"
+  }
 }