diff --git a/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/__init__.py b/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/session_logs.py b/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/session_logs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ee47ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/session_logs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+"""
+configure session logging
+"""
+
+import logging
+import stdlogpj
+
+_log_path = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), ".logs")
+if not os.path.exists(_log_path):
+    os.mkdir(_log_path)
+CONSOLE_IO_FILE = os.path.join(_log_path, "ipython_console.log")
+
+# start logging console to file
+# https://ipython.org/ipython-doc/3/interactive/magics.html#magic-logstart
+from IPython import get_ipython
+_ipython = get_ipython()
+# %logstart -o -t .ipython_console.log "rotate"
+_ipython.magic(f"logstart -o -t {CONSOLE_IO_FILE} rotate")
+
+BYTE = 1
+kB = 1024 * BYTE
+MB = 1024 * kB
+logger = stdlogpj.standard_logging_setup(
+    "bluesky-session", 
+    "ipython_logger",
+    maxBytes=1*MB, 
+    backupCount=9)
+logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+
+logger.info('#'*60 + " startup")
+logger.info('logging started')
+logger.info(f'logging level = {logger.level}')
diff --git a/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/utils/__init__.py b/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aac67c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/profile_bluesky/startup/instrument/utils/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+from .explorer import *