diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index beac9ba..d22da6c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ adequately describes the associated data.
 
 All Bento channels are prefixed with `bento.`.
 
+### `logging`
+
+`logging` contains helper functions for standardized Bento logging configuration
+and formatting.
+
 ### `responses`
 
 `responses` contains standardized error message-generating functions 
diff --git a/bento_lib/logging.py b/bento_lib/logging.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e5d924
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bento_lib/logging.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import logging
+
+__all__ = [
+    "log_level_from_str",
+]
+
+
+log_level_str_to_log_level = {
+    "debug": logging.DEBUG,
+    "info": logging.INFO,
+    "warning": logging.WARNING,
+    "error": logging.ERROR,
+}
+
+
+def log_level_from_str(level: str, default: int = logging.INFO) -> int:
+    return log_level_str_to_log_level.get(level.lower(), default)
diff --git a/tests/test_logging.py b/tests/test_logging.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8598954
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_logging.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import logging
+from bento_lib.logging import log_level_from_str
+
+
+def test_log_level_from_str():
+    assert log_level_from_str("DEBUG") == logging.DEBUG
+    assert log_level_from_str("info") == logging.INFO
+    assert log_level_from_str("asdf", default=logging.DEBUG) == logging.DEBUG
+    assert log_level_from_str("asdf", default=logging.INFO) == logging.INFO