diff --git a/.env.development b/.env.development
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..048e1e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.development
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+ENVIRONMENT=dev
+PORT=3005
+SECRETS_FILE="path/to/secrets/file.json"
+LOGGING_DIR=""
+SOLANA_VALIDATORS_URL="http://vip-api.mainnet-beta.solana.com"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 04ed7f5..1bd7cc3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1 +1,62 @@
 # serum-rest-server
+
+# Install
+
+This server uses `yarn` to manage node.js dependencies. To install dependencies, from the root directory run
+
+```
+yarn
+```
+
+to build the workspace run
+
+```
+yarn build
+```
+
+to start the server in debug mode
+
+```
+DEBUG=js:* yarn start
+```
+
+# Configuration
+
+Server configurations are managed with [dotenv](https://www.npmjs.com/package/dotenv). A default configuration is
+provided in `.env.development`. The server looks for solana private keys in the file specified by the `SECRETS_FILE`
+config. Without any further configuration to permission the server, create a file with following format, replacing
+`"your_bs58_private_key"` with your base58 encoded solana private key (which you can export from sollet.io).
+
+```json
+{
+  "serum_private_key": "your_bs58_private_key"
+}
+```
+
+Then store this file at a location of your choosing and set the `SECRETS_FILE` config to your chosen location. Note
+that `dotenv` by default looks for `.env` files, so you will need to rename `.env.development` to `.env` for the
+configurtation file to take effect.
+
+# Shell
+
+A node.js shell is provided for debugging purposes. Start the shell with
+
+```
+yarn shell
+```
+
+An example of fetching an orderbook for the `BTC/USDC` pair is provided below.
+
+```
+[~/serum-rest-server]$ yarn shell
+> sapi = await SerumApi.create()
+...
+> await sapi.getWsOrderbook('BTC', 'USDC')
+{
+  bids: [...],
+  asks: [...],
+  market: Pair { coin: 'BTC', priceCurrency: 'USDC' },
+  validAt: ...,
+  receivedAt: ...
+}
+```
diff --git a/src/exchange/api.ts b/src/exchange/api.ts
index 3908069..f38cf23 100644
--- a/src/exchange/api.ts
+++ b/src/exchange/api.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ import {
 } from "./solana";
 import { WRAPPED_SOL_MINT } from "@project-serum/serum/lib/token-instructions";
 import { parse as urlParse } from "url";
+import bs58 from "bs58";
 
 export class SerumApi {
   static readonly exchange: Exchange = "serum";
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ export class SerumApi {
     this.exchange = exchange;
     this._connections = conections;
     this._privateKey = getKeys([`${this.exchange}_private_key`])[0];
-    this._account = new Account(this._privateKey);
+    this._account = new Account(bs58.decode(this._privateKey));
     this._publicKey = this._account.publicKey;
     this._loadedMarkets = {};
     this._wsOrderbooks = {};
@@ -641,7 +642,7 @@ export class SerumApi {
     logger.info(
       `Order parameters: ${side}, ${coin}, ${priceCurrency}, ${quantity}, ${price}, ${orderType}`
     );
-    const owner = new Account(this._privateKey);
+    const owner = this._account;
     let payer;
     if (coin === "SOL" && side === Dir.S) {
       payer = this._publicKey;
@@ -808,7 +809,7 @@ export class SerumApi {
       new BN(orderId)
     );
     txn.add(market.makeMatchOrdersTransaction(5));
-    const signers = [new Account(this._privateKey)];
+    const signers = [this._account];
     return {
       transaction: txn,
       signers,
@@ -861,7 +862,7 @@ export class SerumApi {
       order.info.toSerumOrder()
     );
     transaction.add(serumMarket.makeMatchOrdersTransaction(5));
-    const signers = [new Account(this._privateKey)];
+    const signers = [this._account];
     return {
       transaction,
       signers,
@@ -1366,7 +1367,7 @@ export class SerumApi {
           market
             .settleFunds(
               this._connection,
-              new Account(this._privateKey),
+              this._account,
               openOrders,
               baseTokenAccount,
               quoteTokenAccount
diff --git a/src/exchange/config.ts b/src/exchange/config.ts
index c00e8e2..e0ff1b7 100644
--- a/src/exchange/config.ts
+++ b/src/exchange/config.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ import { HARD_CODED_MINTS } from "../config";
 import { Pair } from "./types";
 import { PublicKey } from "@solana/web3.js";
 
-export const MARKET_PARAMS = MARKETS.filter(marketInfo => !marketInfo.deprecated).map((marketInfo) => {
+export const MARKET_PARAMS = MARKETS.filter(
+  (marketInfo) => !marketInfo.deprecated
+).map((marketInfo) => {
   const [coin, priceCurrency] = marketInfo.name.split("/");
   return {
     address: marketInfo.address,