diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
index 8afd85c26d54..b4fa0a76ade9 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
@@ -137,6 +137,21 @@
 
 __version__numpy__ = str('1.6')  # minimum required numpy version
 
+__bibtex__ = """@Article{Hunter:2007,
+  Author    = {Hunter, J. D.},
+  Title     = {Matplotlib: A 2D graphics environment},
+  Journal   = {Computing In Science \& Engineering},
+  Volume    = {9},
+  Number    = {3},
+  Pages     = {90--95},
+  abstract  = {Matplotlib is a 2D graphics package used for Python
+  for application development, interactive scripting, and
+  publication-quality image generation across user
+  interfaces and operating systems.},
+  publisher = {IEEE COMPUTER SOC},
+  year      = 2007
+}"""
+
 try:
     import dateutil
 except ImportError: