diff --git a/admin/islandora.admin.inc b/admin/islandora.admin.inc
index 03ef48e7..8194520e 100644
--- a/admin/islandora.admin.inc
+++ b/admin/islandora.admin.inc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 function islandora_repository_admin($form, &$form_state) {
   module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/tuque');
+  module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/utilities');
 
   if (!IslandoraTuque::exists()) {
     $message = t('This module requires the !url. Please install sites all libraries folder before continuing.', array('!url' => l(t('Tuque Fedora API'), 'http://github.com/islandora/tuque')));
@@ -24,16 +25,10 @@ function islandora_repository_admin($form, &$form_state) {
     $url = variable_get('islandora_base_url', 'http://localhost:8080/fedora');
   }
 
-  $connection = new IslandoraTuque(NULL, $url);
-  try {
-    $info = $connection->api->a->describeRepository();
-    $connected = TRUE;
-  }
-  catch (RepositoryException $e) {
-    $connected = FALSE;
-  }
-
-  if($connected) {
+  // Connect to Fedora
+  $info = islandora_describe_repository($url);
+  
+  if($info) {
     $confirmation_message = '<img src="' . url('misc/watchdog-ok.png') . '"/>'
       . t('Successfully connected to Fedora Server (Version !version).', array('!version' => $info['repositoryVersion']));
   }
diff --git a/includes/utilities.inc b/includes/utilities.inc
index edb49780..afcf5f94 100644
--- a/includes/utilities.inc
+++ b/includes/utilities.inc
@@ -45,4 +45,54 @@ function islandora_control_group_to_human_readable($control_group) {
     default:
       return $control_group;
   }
+}
+
+/**
+ * valid pid ??
+ * @param type $pid
+ * @return boolean
+ */
+function islandora_validate_pid($pid) {
+  $valid = FALSE;
+  if (strlen(trim($pid)) <= 64 && preg_match('/^([A-Za-z0-9]|-|\.)+:(([A-Za-z0-9])|-|\.|~|_|(%[0-9A-F]{2}))+$/', trim($pid))) {
+    $valid = TRUE;
+  }
+
+  return $valid;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Valid Dsid ??
+ * @param type $dsid
+ * @return boolean
+ */
+function islandora_validate_dsid($dsid) {
+  $valid = FALSE;
+  if (strlen(trim($dsid)) <= 64 && preg_match('/^[a-zA-Z0-9\_\-\.]+$/', trim($dsid))) {
+    $valid = TRUE;
+  }
+
+  return $valid;
+}
+
+/* Helper function to describe a Fedora repository.
+ * 
+ * Can be used to check if Fedora is available.
+ * 
+ * @param $url
+ *   A url to a Fedora repository.
+ * @return
+ *   Returns an array describing the repository. Returns FALSE if Fedora is down
+ *   or if the url is incorrect.
+ */
+function islandora_describe_repository($url) {
+  
+  $connection = new IslandoraTuque(NULL, $url);
+  try {
+    $info = $connection->api->a->describeRepository();
+    return $info;
+  }
+  catch (RepositoryException $e) {
+    return FALSE;
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/islandora.api.php b/islandora.api.php
index 0f575486..7231dff9 100644
--- a/islandora.api.php
+++ b/islandora.api.php
@@ -1,23 +1,83 @@
 <?php
+/**
+ * remove a datastream from a repository object
+ * @param object $fedora_object
+ *  tuque FedoraObject
+ * @param string $datastream_id 
+ */
+function hook_islandora_purge_datastream ($fedora_object, $datastream_id){}
 
-function hook_islandora_purge_datastream ($object_id, $datastream_id){}
-
-function hook_islandora_purge_object($object_id) {} 
+/**
+ *
+ * @param type $object 
+ *   tuque FedoraObject
+ */
+function hook_islandora_purge_object($islandora_object) {} 
 
-function hook_islandora_view_object($object_id){}
+/**
+ * allows modules to add to a repository objects display.  If you implement this
+ * hook you should also register your module for view with the get types hook.  
+ * 
+ * islandora gets all displays back in an array and iterates over them.  the order 
+ * they are displayed is based on the order of the key of the array that each
+ * module returns.
+ * 
+ * your module may also want to register a varible that says whether or not it 
+ * should be part of the default display. Modules can also add secondary tabs as
+ * a way to add there output to an islandora display.  the basic image module has 
+ * samples of both (the secondary tabs examples are commented out)
+ * 
+ * @param type $islandora_object
+ *   tuque FedoraObject 
+ */
+function hook_islandora_view_object($islandora_object){}
 
+/**
+ * returns an array listing object types provided by sub modules
+ *  Ex.  array($types['islandora:collectionCModel'][ISLANDORA_VIEW_HOOK] = variable_get('islandora_basic_collection_use_for_default_tab', TRUE);
+ * $types['islandora:collectionCModel'][ISLANDORA_EDIT_HOOK] = FALSE;
+ * 
+ * @return array 
+ */
 function hook_islandora_get_types(){}
 
-function hook_islandora_add_datastream($object_id) {}
+/**
+ * allows modules to define an object edit page by cmodel
+ * 
+ * your module should return true for ISLANDORA_EDIT_HOOK in its get_types function
+ * 
+ * islandora provides a default implementation that should work for most use cases
+ * @param string $islandora_object
+ * @return string 
+ * 
+ */
+function hook_islandora_edit_object($islandora_object){}
+
+/**
+ * allows modules to alter the fedora object before it is pass through the edit
+ * hooks
+ * @param type $islandora_object 
+ *   a tugue FedoraObject
+ */
+function islandora_islandora_edit_object_alter ($islandora_object){}
+
 
 /**
  * creates and populates a php Fedora object. 
  */
 function hook_islandora_preingest_alter(){}
 
-function hook_islandora_postingest($object){}
-
-function hook_islandora_datastream_edit($object, $dsid){}
+/**
+ * modules can implement this hook to add or remove datastreams after an
+ * object has been ingested.  
+ * 
+ * Each module should check for the newly ingested repository objects content 
+ * model to make sure it is a type of object they want to act on.  
+ * 
+ * @param type $islandora_object 
+ *   tugue FeodoraObject
+ */
+function hook_islandora_postingest($islandora_object){}
 
 /**
  * Register potential ingest routes. Implementations should return an array containing possible routes.
@@ -25,4 +85,30 @@ function hook_islandora_datastream_edit($object, $dsid){}
  *       array('name' => t('Ingest Route Name'), 'url' => 'ingest_route/url', 'weight' => 0),
  *     );
  */
-function hook_islandora_ingest_registry($collection_object) {}
\ No newline at end of file
+function hook_islandora_ingest_registry($collection_object) {}
+
+
+/**
+ * alter an object before it gets used further down the stack
+ * @param type $object 
+ *   a tuque FedoraObject
+ */
+function hook_islandora_object_alter ($fedora_object){}
+
+/**
+ * insert or remove rendered elements by implementing this function 
+ * in your module 
+ * @param type $arr 
+ *   an arr of rendered views
+ */
+function hook_islandora_display_alter ($arr){}
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @param type $islandora_object
+ *   a tuque FedoraObject
+ * @param array $content_models
+ * @param string $collection_pid 
+ */
+function hook_islandora_ingest_pre_ingest($islandora_object, $content_models, $collection_pid){}
+
diff --git a/islandora.info b/islandora.info
index 6d2cfb99..aae6bc98 100644
--- a/islandora.info
+++ b/islandora.info
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ description = "View and manage Fedora objects"
 package = Islandora
 version = 7.x-dev
 core = 7.x
+configure = admin/islandora/configure
 stylesheets[all][] = css/islandora.base.css
 stylesheets[all][] = css/islandora.theme.css
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/change_content_models.inc b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/change_content_models.inc
index 344d8643..42b7fa76 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/change_content_models.inc
+++ b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/change_content_models.inc
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ function islandora_change_content_models_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $collection_pid = $form_state['values']['collection_pid'];
   
   $current_content_model_object = islandora_object_load($current_content_model);
-  $collection_object = islandora_load_object($form_state['values']['collection_pid']);
+  $collection_object = islandora_object_load($form_state['values']['collection_pid']);
 
   $collection_policy_datastream = $collection_object->getDatastream(variable_get('Islandora_Collection_Policy_DSID', 'COLLECTION_POLICY'));
   $policy = new CollectionPolicy($collection_policy_datastream->content);
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ function islandora_change_content_models_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
     }
   }
   if ($add_to_policy) {
-    $new_content_model_object = new FedoraObject($new_content_model, $rest_connection->repository);
+    $new_content_model_object = islandora_object_load($new_content_model);
     $new_content_model_datastream = $new_content_model_object->getDatastream(variable_get('Islandora_Content_Model_DSID', 'ISLANDORACM'));
     $content_models_element = $collection_policy_xml->getElementsByTagName('content_models');
     $content_model_element = $content_models_element->item(0)->getElementsByTagName('content_model');
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ function islandora_change_content_models_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
            or \$object <info:fedora/fedora-system:def/relations-external#isMemberOf> <info:fedora/$collection_pid>)
       and \$object <fedora-model:state> <info:fedora/fedora-system:def/model#Active>)";
   
-  $objects = $rest_connection->repository->ri->itqlQuery($query, 'unlimited', '0');
+  $objects = $collection_object->repository->ri->itqlQuery($query, 'unlimited', '0');
   
   $count = 0;
   foreach ($objects as $object) {
     if (!$object['object']['value']) {
       continue;
     }
-    $fedora_item = new FedoraObject($object['object']['value'], $rest_connection->repository);
+    $fedora_item = islandora_object_load($object['object']['value']);
     $fedora_item->relationships->remove(FEDORA_MODEL_URI, 'hasModel', $current_content_model);
     $fedora_item->relationships->add(FEDORA_MODEL_URI, 'hasModel', $new_content_model);
     $count++;
diff --git a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/child_collection.inc b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/child_collection.inc
index f696286a..68aac2f3 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/child_collection.inc
+++ b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/child_collection.inc
@@ -119,7 +119,20 @@ function islandora_create_child_collection_form($form, &$form_state, $collection
 }
 
 function islandora_create_child_collection_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
-  
+  module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/utilities');
+  $new_collection_pid = $form_state['values']['new_collection_pid'];
+  if($new_collection_pid) {
+    $valid = islandora_validate_pid($new_collection_pid);
+    if(!$valid) {
+      form_set_error('new_collection_pid', 'Collection PID is Invalid.');
+    }
+    else {
+      $object = islandora_object_load($new_collection_pid);
+      if($object !== NULL) {
+        form_set_error('new_collection_pid', 'Collection PID already exists.');
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -136,7 +149,7 @@ function islandora_create_child_collection_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $new_collection_pid = $form_state['values']['new_collection_pid'];
   $this_collection_pid = $form_state['values']['current'];
   if(empty($new_collection_pid)) {
-    $collection_namespace = substr($this_collection_pid, 0, strpos($this_collection_pid, ":"));
+    $new_collection_pid = substr($this_collection_pid, 0, strpos($this_collection_pid, ":"));
   }
   $new_collection_label = $form_state['values']['collection_name'];
   $namespace = $form_state['values']['collection_namespace'];
@@ -185,5 +198,5 @@ function islandora_create_child_collection_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $fedora_object->ingestDatastream($policy_datastream);
   $new_fedora_object = islandora_ingest_add_object($fedora_object);
 
-  drupal_goto('/islandora/object/' . $new_collection_pid);
+  drupal_goto('/islandora/object/' . $fedora_object->id);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/collection_management.inc b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/collection_management.inc
index f65da225..e51e76a0 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/collection_management.inc
+++ b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/collection_management.inc
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function get_child_collections($object) {
   $query = <<<EOD
   select \$object from <#ri>
     where \$object <info:fedora/fedora-system:def/model#hasModel> <info:fedora/islandora:collectionCModel>
-    and \$object  <info:fedora/fedora-system:def/relations-external#isMemberOfCollection> <info:fedora/$collection_pid>
+    and \$object  <info:fedora/fedora-system:def/relations-external#isMemberOfCollection> <info:fedora/$object->id>
 EOD;
 
   $lines = $object->repository->ri->itqlQuery($query, 'unlimited', '0');
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function islandora_collections_get_collection_from_pid($object) {
   $query = 'select  $parent from <#ri>
 		where ($object <fedora-rels-ext:isMemberOf> $parent
     or $object <fedora-rels-ext:isMemberOfCollection> $parent)
-		and $object <dc:identifier> \'' . $pid . '\'
+		and $object <dc:identifier> \'' . $object->id . '\'
 		order by $object';
 
   $object_pids = $object->repository->ri->itqlQuery($query, 'unlimited', '0');
diff --git a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/delete_collection.inc b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/delete_collection.inc
index e6c415cf..6e4a4bb8 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/delete_collection.inc
+++ b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/delete_collection.inc
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ function islandora_collection_deletion_form($form, &$form_state, $object) {
 function islandora_collection_deletion_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
 
   $collection_pid = $form_state['values']['current'];
-  $fedora_object = islandora_object_load($collection_object);
+  $fedora_object = islandora_object_load($collection_pid);
 
   $parents = $fedora_object->relationships->get(NULL, 'isMemberOfCollection');
   $parents = islandora_collections_get_collection_from_pid($fedora_object);
@@ -77,14 +77,14 @@ function islandora_collection_deletion_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
     drupal_goto("islandora/object/" . $parents[0]['parent']['value']);
   }
 
-  $child_collections = get_child_collections($collection_pid);
+  $child_collections = get_child_collections($fedora_object);
 
   $populated_child_collections = array();
   $pids = @array_filter($form_state['values']['table']);
 
   if (!empty($child_collections)) {
     foreach ($child_collections as $child) {
-      $child_pids = get_related_items_as_array(islandora_object_load($child), 'isMemberOfCollection');
+      $child_pids = get_related_items_as_array(islandora_object_load($child['object']['value']), 'isMemberOfCollection');
       if (!empty($child_pids)) {
         $populated_child_collections[] = $child;
       }
diff --git a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/manage_policies.inc b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/manage_policies.inc
index 9207edb4..1fa3e68f 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/manage_policies.inc
+++ b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/manage_policies.inc
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ function islandora_manage_policies_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
  * @param array $form_state 
  */
 function islandora_manage_policies_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
+  module_load_include('module', 'islandora', 'islandora');
   $collection_pid = $form_state['values']['parent_collection'];
   $collection_object = islandora_object_load($collection_pid);
   
@@ -166,7 +167,8 @@ function islandora_manage_policies_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
 
     $cp_namespace = $form_state['values']['new_cp_namespace'];
     $cp_content_model = $form_state['values']['content_model_to_add'];
-    $content_model_object = new FedoraObject($cp_content_model, $rest_connection->repository);
+
+    $content_model_object = islandora_object_load($cp_content_model);
     $content_model_datastream = $content_model_object->getDatastream(variable_get('Islandora_Content_Model_DSID', 'ISLANDORACM'));
 
     $content_models_element = $collection_policy_xml->getElementsByTagName('content_models');
diff --git a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/move_collection.inc b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/move_collection.inc
index 04e31d51..f5a3703e 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_collection/includes/move_collection.inc
+++ b/islandora_basic_collection/includes/move_collection.inc
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ function islandora_collection_migrate_form($form, &$form_state, $object) {
  * @param array $form_state 
  */
 function islandora_collection_migrate_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
-
   $pids = array_filter($form_state['values']['table']);
   $new_collection = $form_state['values']['new_collection'];
   $current = $form_state['values']['current'];
diff --git a/islandora_basic_collection/islandora_basic_collection.info b/islandora_basic_collection/islandora_basic_collection.info
index 7663b814..bf2e6387 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_collection/islandora_basic_collection.info
+++ b/islandora_basic_collection/islandora_basic_collection.info
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ description = "A default Islandora Repository module to handle simple collection
 dependencies[] = islandora
 package = Islandora
 core = 7.x
+configure = admin/islandora/basic_collection
 stylesheets[all][] = css/islandora_basic_collection.base.css
 stylesheets[all][] = css/islandora_basic_collection.theme.css
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/islandora_basic_image/islandora_basic_image.info b/islandora_basic_image/islandora_basic_image.info
index 26426dd0..459d1bbc 100644
--- a/islandora_basic_image/islandora_basic_image.info
+++ b/islandora_basic_image/islandora_basic_image.info
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ description = "A default Islandora Repository module to handle images"
 dependencies[] = islandora
 package = Islandora
 core = 7.x
+configure = admin/islandora/basic_image
 stylesheets[all][] = css/islandora_basic_image.base.css
 stylesheets[all][] = css/islandora_basic_image.theme.css
\ No newline at end of file