diff --git a/layers/+emacs/org/README.org b/layers/+emacs/org/README.org
index 7d92ee36b..c737d4f4f 100644
--- a/layers/+emacs/org/README.org
+++ b/layers/+emacs/org/README.org
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
 * Description
 This layer enables  [[http://orgmode.org/][org mode]] for Spacemacs.
 
+For more extensive support of references through BibTeX files, have a look at
+the [[../+lang/bibtex][BibTeX layer]].
+
 ** Features:
 - Vim inspired key bindings are provided by [[https://github.com/edwtjo/evil-org-mode][evil-org-mode]]
 - Nicer bullet via [[https://github.com/sabof/org-bullets][org-bullets]]
diff --git a/layers/+lang/bibtex/README.org b/layers/+lang/bibtex/README.org
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..750f74648
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layers/+lang/bibtex/README.org
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#+TITLE: BibTeX layer
+#+HTML_HEAD_EXTRA: <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/readtheorg.css" />
+[[file:img/logo.png]]
+* Table of Contents                                        :TOC_4_org:noexport:
+ - [[Description][Description]]
+ - [[Install][Install]]
+ - [[Configuration][Configuration]]
+ - [[Key bindings][Key bindings]]
+
+* Description
+BibTeX and BibLaTeX files are a common way to manage bibliographies.  The format
+was original designed to work with LaTeX files and subsequently has been adopted
+by other markup formats such as MarkDown and Org mode.
+
+This layer adds support to manipulate BibTeX and BibLaTeX files and offer
+utilities to automatically add new entries by DOI, arXiv identifier, ISBN, and
+more.
+
+Once enabled, this layer also introduces additional shortcuts in other modes to
+easily insert citations.
+
+* Install
+To use this contribution add it to your =~/.spacemacs=
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+  (setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers '(bibtex))
+#+end_src
+
+* Configuration
+This layer also supports having a global BibTeX file.  For a basic
+configuration, add this to your =~/.spacemacs= inside
+=dotspacemacs/user-config=:
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+  (setq org-ref-default-bibliography '("~/Papers/references.bib")
+        org-ref-pdf-directory "~/Papers/"
+        org-ref-bibliography-notes "~/Papers/notes.org")
+#+end_src
+
+Certain modes, such as ~latex-mode~ with AucTeX, will automatically lookup
+references in a document if any of the recognized bibliography commands are
+used.  Other modes may have a similar feature, or one could always set
+file-local variables (through ~SPC f v f~).
+
+You can also customize which program is used to display the PDFs.  For example,
+to use Zathura:
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+  (setq org-ref-open-pdf-function (lambda (fpath) (start-process "zathura" "*helm-bibtex-zathura*" "/usr/bin/zathura" fpath)))
+#+end_src
+
+More configuration options are available and are detailed in the ~org-ref~ and
+~helm-bibtex~ package documentations.
+
+* Key bindings
+In a Bib(La)TeX files, the following key bindings are added:
+
+| Key Binding   | Description                                |
+|---------------+--------------------------------------------|
+| ~<SPC> m j~   | Next entry                                 |
+| ~<SPC> m k~   | Previous entry                             |
+| ~<SPC> m p~   | Open PDF                                   |
+| ~<SPC> m n~   | Open notes                                 |
+| ~<SPC> m b~   | Open browser                               |
+| ~<SPC> m i~   | Insert new entry                           |
+| ~<SPC> m s~   | Sort entry                                 |
+| ~<SPC> m h~   | Various actions on entry                   |
+| ~<SPC> m l a~ | Lookup and add arXiv paper (don't get PDF) |
+| ~<SPC> m l A~ | Lookup and add arXiv paper (download PDF)  |
+| ~<SPC> m l d~ | Lookup and add paper by DOI                |
+| ~<SPC> m l i~ | Lookup and add book by ISBN                |
+| ~<SPC> m l p~ | Lookup and add paper by PMID               |
+
+In addition, ~org-mode~, ~latex-mode~ and ~markdown-mode~ all have the following
+key binding added:
+
+| Key Binding | Description     |
+|-------------+-----------------|
+| ~SPC m i c~ | Insert citation |
diff --git a/layers/+lang/bibtex/img/logo.png b/layers/+lang/bibtex/img/logo.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fac271b8c
Binary files /dev/null and b/layers/+lang/bibtex/img/logo.png differ
diff --git a/layers/+lang/bibtex/packages-config.el b/layers/+lang/bibtex/packages-config.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ace0d798c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layers/+lang/bibtex/packages-config.el
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+;;; packages-config.el --- BibTeX Layer packages file for Spacemacs
+;;
+;; Copyright (c) 2012-2014 Sylvain Benner
+;; Copyright (c) 2014-2015 Sylvain Benner & Contributors
+;;
+;; Author: Joshua Ellis <josh@jpellis.me>
+;; URL: https://github.com/JP-Ellis
+;;
+;; This file is not part of GNU Emacs.
+;;
+;;; License: GPLv3
+
+;;; Commentary:
+
+;;; Code:
+
+(defun bibtex/init-org-ref ()
+  (use-package org-ref
+    :defer t
+    :config
+    (progn
+      (spacemacs/set-leader-keys-for-major-mode 'bibtex-mode
+        ;; Navigation
+        "j" 'org-ref-bibtex-next-entry
+        "k" 'org-ref-bibtex-previous-entry
+
+        ;; Open
+        "b" 'org-ref-open-in-browser
+        "n" 'org-ref-open-bibtex-notes
+        "p" 'org-ref-open-bibtex-pdf
+
+        ;; Misc
+        "h" 'org-ref-bibtex-hydra/body
+        "i" 'org-ref-bibtex-hydra/org-ref-bibtex-new-entry/body-and-exit
+        "s" 'org-ref-sort-bibtex-entry
+
+        ;; Lookup utilities
+        "la" 'arxiv-add-bibtex-entry
+        "lA" 'arxiv-get-pdf-add-bibtex-entry
+        "ld" 'doi-utils-add-bibtex-entry-from-doi
+        "li" 'isbn-to-bibtex
+        "lp" 'pubmed-insert-bibtex-from-pmid
+        ))))
+
+(defun bibtex/post-init-auctex ()
+  (spacemacs/set-leader-keys-for-major-mode 'latex-mode
+    "ic" 'org-ref-helm-insert-cite-link))
+
+(defun bibtex/post-init-org ()
+  (spacemacs/set-leader-keys-for-major-mode 'org-mode
+    "ic" 'org-ref-helm-insert-cite-link))
+
+(defun bibtex/post-init-markdown-mode ()
+  (spacemacs/set-leader-keys-for-major-mode 'markdown-mode
+    "ic" 'org-ref-helm-insert-cite-link))
+
+;;; packages.el ends here
diff --git a/layers/+lang/bibtex/packages.el b/layers/+lang/bibtex/packages.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77b8d2f93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layers/+lang/bibtex/packages.el
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+;;; packages.el --- BibTeX Layer packages file for Spacemacs.
+;;
+;; Copyright (c) 2012-2016 Sylvain Benner & Contributors
+;;
+;; Author: Joshua Ellis <josh@jpellis.me>
+;; URL: https://github.com/JP-Ellis
+;;
+;; This file is not part of GNU Emacs.
+;;
+;;; License: GPLv3
+
+;;; Commentary:
+
+;;; Code:
+
+(defconst bibtex-packages
+      '(
+        auctex
+        helm
+        org
+        org-ref
+        markdown-mode
+        ))
+
+;;; packages-config.el ends here
diff --git a/layers/+lang/latex/README.org b/layers/+lang/latex/README.org
index 4df377643..9aee57fb4 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/latex/README.org
+++ b/layers/+lang/latex/README.org
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 * Description
 This layer adds support for LaTeX files with [[https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/auctex/][AucTeX]].
 
+For more extensive support of BibTeX files than RefTeX provides, have a look at
+the [[../bibtex][BibTeX layer]].
+
 ** Features
 - Auto-build with [[https://github.com/tom-tan/auctex-latexmk/][auctex-latexmk]]
 - Auto-completion with [[https://github.com/alexeyr/company-auctex][company-auctex]]
@@ -83,7 +86,6 @@ is nil.
 #+END_SRC
 
 * Keybindings
-
 | Key Binding   | Description                                |
 |---------------+--------------------------------------------|
 | ~SPC m -~     | recenter output buffer                     |
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ is nil.
 | ~SPC m b~     | build                                      |
 | ~SPC m c~     | close LaTeX environment                    |
 | ~SPC m e~     | insert LaTeX environment                   |
-| ~SPC m i~     | insert =\item=                             |
+| ~SPC m i i~   | insert =\item=                             |
 | ~SPC m k~     | kill TeX job                               |
 | ~SPC m l~     | recenter output buffer                     |
 | ~SPC m m~     | insert LaTeX macro                         |
diff --git a/layers/+lang/latex/packages.el b/layers/+lang/latex/packages.el
index 0b7a8cb60..bd027e675 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/latex/packages.el
+++ b/layers/+lang/latex/packages.el
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
         "."   'LaTeX-mark-environment  ;; C-c .
         "c"   'LaTeX-close-environment ;; C-c ]
         "e"   'LaTeX-environment       ;; C-c C-e
-        "i"   'LaTeX-insert-item       ;; C-c C-j
+        "ii"   'LaTeX-insert-item       ;; C-c C-j
         "s"   'LaTeX-section           ;; C-c C-s
         "fe"  'LaTeX-fill-environment  ;; C-c C-q C-e
         "fp"  'LaTeX-fill-paragraph    ;; C-c C-q C-p
diff --git a/layers/+lang/markdown/README.org b/layers/+lang/markdown/README.org
index 1fb47ecca..96c6ac10b 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/markdown/README.org
+++ b/layers/+lang/markdown/README.org
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 
 This layer adds markdown support to Spacemacs.
 
+For more extensive support of references with BibTeX files, have a look at the
+[[../bibtex][BibTeX layer]].
+
 ** Features:
 - markdown files support via [[http://jblevins.org/git/markdown-mode.git/][markdown-mode]]
 - TOC generation via [[https://github.com/ardumont/markdown-toc][markdown-toc]]