diff --git a/bin/README.md b/bin/README.md
deleted file mode 100755
index 491fc91..0000000
--- a/bin/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-This directory is to be used for command line tools to be used with this module.
-They will be installed so that end users of IMP and your module can use them
-(for utility programs that are *not* installed, use the `utility` directory).
-
-Note that the binary directory on a typical computer is a single namespace,
-so you should:
-
- - be careful not to litter this directory with a large number of programs.
-   One solution is to use a single 'driver' program that has multiple modes
-   (like the `git` or `svn` command line tools). IMP provides an
-   IMP::CommandDispatcher Python class to facilitate this (see IMP::multifit
-   for an example of it in action).
-
- - take care to give each program a fairly unique name. One solution is to
-   use a module-specific prefix. For an example, see IMP::rmf which provides
-   `rmf_display`, `rmf_simplify` etc.
-
-Place source `.cpp` files and Python files (without extension) here to be
-built into executables. Each file will result in one executable. The
-`.cpp` files will be linked against `libimp_nestor` and all its dependencies.
-Each executable should use IMP::setup_from_argv() to process command
-line flags.
diff --git a/include/README.md b/include/README.md
deleted file mode 100755
index 994501f..0000000
--- a/include/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-Place the public header files in this directory. They will be
-available to your code (and other modules) with
-
-     #include <IMP/nestor/myheader.h>
-
-All headers should include `IMP/nestor/nestor_config.h` as their
-first include and surround all code with `IMPNESTOR_BEGIN_NAMESPACE`
-and `IMPNESTOR_END_NAMESPACE` to put it in the IMP::nestor namespace
-and manage compiler warnings.
-
-Headers should also be exposed to SWIG in the `pyext/swig.i-in` file.
diff --git a/include/internal/README.md b/include/internal/README.md
deleted file mode 100755
index c6e071a..0000000
--- a/include/internal/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-Place the private header files in this directory. They will be
-available to your code with
-
-     #include <IMP/nestor/internal/myheader.h>
-
-All headers should include `IMP/nestor/nestor_config.h` as their
-first include and surround all code with `IMPNESTOR_BEGIN_INTERNAL_NAMESPACE`
-and `IMPNESTOR_END_INTERNAL_NAMESPACE` to put it in the
-IMP::nestor::internal namespace and manage compiler warnings.
diff --git a/src/README.md b/src/README.md
deleted file mode 100755
index deebe16..0000000
--- a/src/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Place source `.cpp` files here to be compiled into the `IMP.nestor` library.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/utility/README.md b/utility/README.md
deleted file mode 100755
index d5c7ad9..0000000
--- a/utility/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-This directory is to be used for module-specific utility programs, typically
-used during the build procedure. These programs are *not* installed so will
-not be seen by the typical end users of your module (for that, use the `bin`
-directory).
-
-Place source `.cpp` files and `.py` files here to be built into
-executables. Each file will result in one executable. The `.cpp` files
-will be linked against `libimp_nestor` and all its dependencies. Each
-executable should use IMP::setup_from_argv() to process command
-line flags.