--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/lemuriformes/path.py	Sun Dec 10 17:19:30 2017 -0800
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+"""
+functions related to paths
+"""
+
+import shutil
+import tempfile
+
+
+def ensure_dir(path):
+    """ensures `path` is a directory"""
+
+    if os.path.exists(path):
+        assert os.path.isdir(path)
+    else:
+        os.makedirs(path)
+    return path
+
+
+class TempDir(object):
+    """temporary directory context manager"""
+    # For inspiration see
+    # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19296146/tempfile-temporarydirectory-context-manager-in-python-2-7
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.tmpdir = None
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        self.tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        return self.tmpdir
+
+    def __exit__(self, *args):
+        if not self.tmpdir:
+            return
+        shutil.rmtree(self.tmpdir, ignore_errors=True)
+        self.tmpdir = None