diff --git a/conf/conf.ini b/conf/conf.ini
index 905fdeb..67763ad 100644
--- a/conf/conf.ini
+++ b/conf/conf.ini
@@ -7,5 +7,10 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 [default]
-# Path to Tellico .tc database to use
-path = /some/path/to/tellico.tc
+
+    # Path to Tellico .tc database to use
+    path = /path/to/some/tellico.tc
+
+    # Path to output directory for images and temporary data
+    # Must be accessible by webserver
+    outdir = output
diff --git a/glob.py b/glob.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52232ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glob.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import configparser
+
+# Read configuration files (latest files in list override previous settings)
+conf = configparser.ConfigParser()
+conf.read(['conf/conf.ini', 'conf/conf.custom.ini'])
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 64c09b8..946d322 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -25,11 +25,12 @@ import zipfile
 import shutil as sh
 import os
 import time
-import configparser
 
 # Our custom library (again no pun intended)
 import tcparser
 
+import glob
+
 # Start CGI handling for webserver
 cgitb.enable()
 inputvars = cgi.FieldStorage()
@@ -49,29 +50,33 @@ print()
 
 ### End of HTTP headers:  it is now safe to output things
 ##########################################################
-# Read configuration files (latest files in list override previous settings)
-conf = configparser.ConfigParser()
-conf.read(['conf/conf.ini', 'conf/conf.custom.ini'])
 
-luh = open('./output/lastupdate.txt', 'r')
+# Create output directory and temporary files if they do not exist
+if not os.path.exists(glob.conf['default']['outdir']):
+    os.mkdir(glob.conf['default']['outdir'])
+if not os.path.exists(glob.conf['default']['outdir'] + '/lastupdate.txt'):
+    luh = open(glob.conf['default']['outdir'] + '/lastupdate.txt', 'w')
+    luh.write('0')
+    luh.close()
+
+# Retrieve last database update timestamp
+luh = open(glob.conf['default']['outdir'] + '/lastupdate.txt', 'r')
 lu = int(float(luh.read()))
 luh.close()
 
-mtime = os.path.getmtime(conf['default']['path'])
-
-outdir = './output'
+mtime = os.path.getmtime(glob.conf['default']['path'])
 
 if int(lu) < int(mtime):
     # Unzip Tellico .tc database
-    zipHandler = zipfile.ZipFile(conf['default']['path'], 'r')
-    zipHandler.extractall(outdir)
+    zipHandler = zipfile.ZipFile(glob.conf['default']['path'], 'r')
+    zipHandler.extractall(glob.conf['default']['outdir'])
     zipHandler.close()
-    luh = open('./output/lastupdate.txt', 'w')
+    luh = open(glob.conf['default']['outdir'] + '/lastupdate.txt', 'w')
     luh.write(str(time.time()))
     luh.close()
 
 # Get a Python-friendly library struct from XML file
-library = tcparser.getLibrary(outdir + "/tellico.xml", lu)
+library = tcparser.getLibrary(glob.conf['default']['outdir'] + "/tellico.xml", lu)
 
 ### Get filters to search for books ###
 try:
diff --git a/tcparser.py b/tcparser.py
index 09ac145..d77c89e 100644
--- a/tcparser.py
+++ b/tcparser.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import json
 import datetime
 import sys
 
+import glob
+
 # Parse Tellico's XML and get a library struct,
 # a stripped version of our library in a Python-friendly format
 def getLibrary(path, lastUpdate):
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ def getHTML(library):
 
         cover = ET.Element('td')
         if i.get('cover'):
-            img = ET.Element('img', attrib={'alt': 'Book "' + i.get('title') + '" cover', 'src': 'output/images/' + i.get('cover')})
+            img = ET.Element('img', attrib={'alt': 'Book "' + i.get('title') + '" cover', 'src': glob.conf['default']['outdir'] + '/images/' + i.get('cover')})
             cover.append(img)
 
         tr.append(cover)