diff --git a/terminatorlib/notebook.py b/terminatorlib/notebook.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..17572927
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terminatorlib/notebook.py
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+# Terminator by Chris Jones <cmsj@tenshu.net>
+# GPL v2 only
+"""container.py - classes necessary to contain Terminal widgets"""
+
+import gobject
+import gtk
+
+from config import Config
+from util import dbg, err
+from translation import _
+
+# pylint: disable-msg=R0921
+class Container(object):
+    """Base class for Terminator Containers"""
+
+    terminator = None
+    immutable = None
+    children = None
+    config = None
+    signals = None
+    cnxids = None
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        """Class initialiser"""
+        self.children = []
+        self.signals = []
+        self.cnxids = {}
+        self.config = Config()
+
+    def register_signals(self, widget):
+        """Register gobject signals in a way that avoids multiple inheritance"""
+        existing = gobject.signal_list_names(widget)
+        for signal in self.signals:
+            if signal['name'] in existing:
+                dbg('Container:: skipping signal %s for %s, already exists' % (
+                        signal['name'], widget))
+            else:
+                dbg('Container:: registering signal for %s on %s' % 
+                        (signal['name'], widget))
+                try:
+                    gobject.signal_new(signal['name'],
+                                       widget,
+                                       signal['flags'],
+                                       signal['return_type'],
+                                        signal['param_types'])
+                except RuntimeError:
+                    err('Container:: registering signal for %s on %s failed' %
+                            (signal['name'], widget))
+
+    def connect_child(self, widget, signal, handler, data=None):
+        """Register the requested signal and record its connection ID"""
+        if not self.cnxids.has_key(widget):
+            self.cnxids[widget] = []
+
+        if data is not None:
+            self.cnxids[widget].append(widget.connect(signal, handler, data))
+            dbg('Container::connect_child: connecting %s(%s) for %s::%s' %
+                (handler.__name__, data, widget.__class__.__name__, signal))
+        else:
+            self.cnxids[widget].append(widget.connect(signal, handler))
+            dbg('Container::connect_child: registering %s to handle %s::%s' %
+                (handler.__name__, widget.__class__.__name__, signal))
+
+    def disconnect_child(self, widget):
+        """De-register the signals for a child"""
+        if self.cnxids.has_key(widget):
+            for cnxid in self.cnxids[widget]:
+                # FIXME: Look up the IDs to print a useful debugging message
+                widget.disconnect(cnxid)
+            del(self.cnxids[widget])
+
+    def get_offspring(self):
+        """Return a list of child widgets, if any"""
+        return(self.children)
+
+    def split_horiz(self, widget):
+        """Split this container horizontally"""
+        return(self.split_axis(widget, True))
+
+    def split_vert(self, widget):
+        """Split this container vertically"""
+        return(self.split_axis(widget, False))
+
+    def split_axis(self, widget, vertical=True, sibling=None):
+        """Default axis splitter. This should be implemented by subclasses"""
+        raise NotImplementedError('split_axis')
+
+    def add(self, widget):
+        """Add a widget to the container"""
+        raise NotImplementedError('add')
+
+    def remove(self, widget):
+        """Remove a widget from the container"""
+        raise NotImplementedError('remove')
+
+    def closeterm(self, widget):
+        """Handle the closure of a terminal"""
+        try:
+            if self.get_property('term_zoomed'):
+                # We're zoomed, so unzoom and then start closing again
+                dbg('Container::closeterm: terminal zoomed, unzooming')
+                self.unzoom(widget)
+                widget.close()
+                return(True)
+        except TypeError:
+            pass
+
+        if not self.remove(widget):
+            return(False)
+
+        self.terminator.deregister_terminal(widget)
+        self.terminator.group_hoover()
+        return(True)
+
+    def resizeterm(self, widget, keyname):
+        """Handle a keyboard event requesting a terminal resize"""
+        raise NotImplementedError('resizeterm')
+
+    def toggle_zoom(self, widget, fontscale = False):
+        """Toggle the existing zoom state"""
+        try:
+            if self.get_property('term_zoomed'):
+                self.unzoom(widget)
+            else:
+                self.zoom(widget, fontscale)
+        except TypeError:
+            err('Container::toggle_zoom: %s is unable to handle zooming, for \
+            %s' % (self, widget))
+
+    def zoom(self, widget, fontscale = False):
+        """Zoom a terminal"""
+        raise NotImplementedError('zoom')
+
+    def unzoom(self, widget):
+        """Unzoom a terminal"""
+        raise NotImplementedError('unzoom')
+
+    def construct_confirm_close(self, window, type):
+        """Create a confirmation dialog for closing things"""
+        dialog = gtk.Dialog(_('Close?'), window, gtk.DIALOG_MODAL)
+        dialog.set_has_separator(False)
+        dialog.set_resizable(False)
+    
+        cancel = dialog.add_button(gtk.STOCK_CANCEL, gtk.RESPONSE_REJECT)
+        close_all = dialog.add_button(gtk.STOCK_CLOSE, gtk.RESPONSE_ACCEPT)
+        label = close_all.get_children()[0].get_children()[0].get_children()[1].set_label(_('Close _Terminals'))
+    
+        primary = gtk.Label(_('<big><b>Close multiple temrinals?</b></big>'))
+        primary.set_use_markup(True)
+        primary.set_alignment(0, 0.5)
+        secondary = gtk.Label(_('This %s has several terminals open. Closing the \
+%s will also close all terminals within it.') % (type, type))
+        secondary.set_line_wrap(True)
+    
+        labels = gtk.VBox()
+        labels.pack_start(primary, False, False, 6)
+        labels.pack_start(secondary, False, False, 6)
+    
+        image = gtk.image_new_from_stock(gtk.STOCK_DIALOG_WARNING,
+                                         gtk.ICON_SIZE_DIALOG)
+        image.set_alignment(0.5, 0)
+    
+        box = gtk.HBox()
+        box.pack_start(image, False, False, 6)
+        box.pack_start(labels, False, False, 6)
+        dialog.vbox.pack_start(box, False, False, 12)
+    
+        dialog.show_all()
+        return(dialog)
+    
+# vim: set expandtab ts=4 sw=4: