diff --git a/auth/auth.go b/auth/auth.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..868897c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/auth/auth.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package auth
+
+import (
+	uuid "github.com/nu7hatch/gouuid"
+	"github.com/writeas/web-core/log"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// GetToken parses out the user token from either an Authorization header or simply passed in.
+func GetToken(header string) []byte {
+	var accessToken []byte
+	token := header
+	if len(header) > 0 {
+		f := strings.Fields(header)
+		if len(f) == 2 && f[0] == "Token" {
+			token = f[1]
+		}
+	}
+	t, err := uuid.ParseHex(token)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("Couldn't parseHex on '%s': %v", accessToken, err)
+	} else {
+		accessToken = t[:]
+	}
+	return accessToken
+}
+
+// GetHeaderToken parses out the user token from an Authorization header.
+func GetHeaderToken(header string) []byte {
+	var accessToken []byte
+	if len(header) > 0 {
+		f := strings.Fields(header)
+		if len(f) == 2 && f[0] == "Token" {
+			t, err := uuid.ParseHex(f[1])
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error("Couldn't parseHex on '%s': %v", accessToken, err)
+			} else {
+				accessToken = t[:]
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return accessToken
+}