diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3649fbe..fa0674e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ The site specific parameters that this theme :wrecognizes are:
   (i.e., pages of type "post") ignore this parameter.
 - `toc` boolean: if true, display the table of contents for the page.
 
+## Shortcodes
+
+- `sidenote`: Wrap text to produce an automatically numbered sidenote.
+  The single positional argument is a required unique identifier.
+  Example: `{{% sidenote "sn-example" %}}Some sidenote{{% /sidenote %}}`
+- `marginnote`: Wrap text to produce a numberless margin note.
+  The single positional argument is a required unique identifier.
+  Example: `{{% marginnote"mn-example" %}}Some marginnote{{% /marginnote%}}`
+
 ## Templates
 TODO
 - [ ] Describe the role of each template file, as commenting within the files
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/marginnote.html b/layouts/shortcodes/marginnote.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f0557d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/marginnote.html
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<label for="{{ .Get 0 }}" class="margin-toggle">&#8853;</label>
+<input type="checkbox" id="{{ .Get 0 }}" class="margin-toggle"/>
+<span class="marginnote">{{ .Inner }}</span>
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/sidenote.html b/layouts/shortcodes/sidenote.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b62304e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/sidenote.html
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<label for="{{ .Get "id" }}" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
+<input type="checkbox" id="{{ .Get "id" }}" class="margin-toggle"/>
+<span class="sidenote">{{ .Inner }}</span>