diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4443c845..7c8d3a9e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,29 @@
+Release 0.7.0 October 2, 2025
+- Added comprehensive logging infrastructure with configurable log levels and file output to validation tools.
+- Enhanced validate_bids script with improved error reporting and filtering capabilities.
+- Added error code counting and filtering by count/file in ErrorHandler.
+- Improved validation output formatting with version tracking in JSON output.
+- Added comprehensive CONTRIBUTING.md with development guidelines and best practices.
+- Enhanced README.md with better documentation structure and examples.
+- Improved user guide documentation with clearer installation and usage instructions.
+- Fixed typos and improved code documentation throughout the codebase.
+- Enhanced Windows compatibility with normalized path handling in tests.
+- Updated pyproject.toml with improved metadata and dependencies.
+
+Release 0.6.0 August 7, 2024
+- Added MATLAB integration support with improved function visibility in __init__.py.
+- Enhanced ontology creation and validation with better handling of equivalent classes.
+- Improved schema scripts with migration from hed-schemas repository.
+- Added DataFrame loading/saving optimizations and folder-based operations.
+- Enhanced HED ID validation with more robust checks.
+- Improved sidecar and tabular input utilities with new helper functions.
+- Added support for empty tabular files and whitespace-only files.
+- Enhanced annotation utilities for better MATLAB compatibility.
+- Improved matplotlib compatibility and updated color map access.
+- Fixed various bugs in spreadsheet handling and schema loading.
+- Updated dependencies and improved Python 3.7+ compatibility.
+- Improved code quality with better type handling and error messages.
+
 Release 0.5.0
 - Added JSON schema specification of remodeling commands.
 - Added support for schema that are specified by .tsv files.
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index d06b445d..d4293376 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ We use several tools to maintain code quality:
 
 Example docstring:
 ```python
-def validate_hed_string(hed_string, schema):
+def validate_hed_string(hed_string, schema)->list[dict]:
     """Validate a HED string against a schema.
     
-    Args:
+    Parameters:
         hed_string (str): The HED string to validate.
         schema (HedSchema): The schema to validate against.
         
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def validate_hed_string(hed_string, schema):
         list: A list of validation issues, empty if valid.
         
     Example:
-        >>> schema = load_schema()
+        >>> schema = load_schema_version('8.4.0')
         >>> issues = validate_hed_string("Event", schema)
         >>> if not issues:
         ...     print("Valid!")
@@ -135,16 +135,16 @@ from hed import HedString, load_schema
 class TestHedValidation(unittest.TestCase):
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(cls):
-        cls.schema = load_schema()
+        cls.schema = load_schema_version('8.4.0')
     
     def test_valid_hed_string(self):
         hed_string = HedString("Event", self.schema)
-        issues = hed_string.validate(self.schema)
+        issues = hed_string.validate()
         self.assertEqual(len(issues), 0)
     
     def test_invalid_hed_string(self):
         hed_string = HedString("InvalidTag", self.schema)
-        issues = hed_string.validate(self.schema)
+        issues = hed_string.validate()
         self.assertGreater(len(issues), 0)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/RELEASE_GUIDE.md b/RELEASE_GUIDE.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a563e959
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE_GUIDE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,516 @@
+# HED-Python Release Guide
+
+This document provides step-by-step instructions for releasing a new version of hedtools to PyPI.
+
+**Platform Support:** This guide includes commands for both Windows (PowerShell) and Linux/macOS (Bash).
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Before starting the release process, ensure you have:
+
+- [ ] Write access to the hed-python repository
+- [ ] PyPI account with maintainer access to the `hedtools` package
+- [ ] Git configured with your credentials
+- [ ] Python 3.9+ installed
+- [ ] Virtual environment activated (if using one)
+- [ ] All intended changes merged to the `main` branch
+
+## Release Checklist
+
+### 1. Pre-Release Preparation
+
+#### 1.1 Ensure Working Tree is Clean
+
+**Windows (PowerShell):**
+```powershell
+# Check git status
+git status
+
+# If there are uncommitted changes, commit or stash them
+git add .
+git commit -m "Pre-release cleanup"
+```
+
+**Linux/macOS (Bash):**
+```bash
+# Check git status
+git status
+
+# If there are uncommitted changes, commit or stash them
+git add .
+git commit -m "Pre-release cleanup"
+```
+
+#### 1.2 Update CHANGELOG.md
+
+Add a new entry at the top of `CHANGELOG.md` with:
+- Release version number (e.g., "Release 0.7.0")
+- Release date
+- Bullet points describing:
+  - New features
+  - Enhancements
+  - Bug fixes
+  - Documentation improvements
+  - Breaking changes (if any)
+
+**Example:**
+```markdown
+Release 0.7.0 October 2, 2025
+- Added comprehensive logging infrastructure
+- Enhanced validate_bids script with improved error reporting
+- Added CONTRIBUTING.md with development guidelines
+- Fixed Windows path handling in tests
+```
+
+#### 1.3 Commit CHANGELOG Updates
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+git add CHANGELOG.md
+git commit -m "Update CHANGELOG for version 0.7.0"
+```
+
+#### 1.4 Merge to Main Branch
+
+If you're working on a feature branch:
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Update your local main branch
+git checkout main
+git pull origin main
+
+# Merge your feature branch
+git merge your-feature-branch
+
+# Resolve any conflicts if they arise
+# Then push to origin
+git push origin main
+```
+
+### 2. Version Tagging
+
+The project uses [versioneer](https://github.com/python-versioneer/python-versioneer) for version management, which automatically derives the version from git tags.
+
+#### 2.1 Create Annotated Tag
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Create an annotated tag with the version number
+git tag -a 0.7.0 -m "Release version 0.7.0"
+```
+
+**Important:** 
+- Use semantic versioning: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
+- Do NOT use a prefix (e.g., use `0.7.0`, not `v0.7.0`)
+- The tag name must match the version you want to release
+
+#### 2.2 Push the Tag
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Push the tag to the remote repository
+git push origin 0.7.0
+```
+
+#### 2.3 Verify Version
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Check that the version is correctly detected
+python -c "import hed; print(hed.__version__)"
+```
+
+Expected output: `0.7.0`
+
+If you see something like `0+untagged.xxx.gxxxxxxx`, the tag wasn't properly created or you need to pull the tags:
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+git fetch --tags
+```
+
+### 3. Build Distribution Packages
+
+#### 3.1 Clean Previous Builds
+
+**Windows (PowerShell):**
+```powershell
+# Remove old build artifacts
+Remove-Item -Recurse -Force dist, build, *.egg-info -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+```
+
+**Linux/macOS (Bash):**
+```bash
+# Remove old build artifacts
+rm -rf dist build *.egg-info
+```
+
+#### 3.2 Install/Upgrade Build Tools
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+python -m pip install --upgrade build twine
+```
+
+#### 3.3 Build the Packages
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Build both wheel and source distributions
+python -m build
+```
+
+This creates:
+- `dist/hedtools-0.7.0-py3-none-any.whl` (wheel distribution)
+- `dist/hedtools-0.7.0.tar.gz` (source distribution)
+
+#### 3.4 Verify Build Contents
+
+**Windows (PowerShell):**
+```powershell
+# List contents of the wheel
+python -m zipfile -l dist/hedtools-0.7.0-py3-none-any.whl
+
+# Check the source distribution (requires tar in PATH)
+tar -tzf dist/hedtools-0.7.0.tar.gz
+```
+
+**Linux/macOS (Bash):**
+```bash
+# List contents of the wheel
+unzip -l dist/hedtools-0.7.0-py3-none-any.whl
+
+# Check the source distribution
+tar -tzf dist/hedtools-0.7.0.tar.gz
+```
+
+### 4. Test the Distribution (Recommended)
+
+#### 4.1 Create Test Environment
+
+**Windows (PowerShell):**
+```powershell
+# Create a fresh virtual environment for testing
+python -m venv test_env
+.\test_env\Scripts\Activate.ps1
+```
+
+**Linux/macOS (Bash):**
+```bash
+# Create a fresh virtual environment for testing
+python -m venv test_env
+source test_env/bin/activate
+```
+
+#### 4.2 Install from Wheel
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Install the built wheel
+pip install dist/hedtools-0.7.0-py3-none-any.whl
+```
+
+#### 4.3 Run Tests
+
+**Windows (PowerShell):**
+```powershell
+# Navigate back to the repository
+cd h:\Repos\hed-python
+
+# Run the test suite
+python -m unittest discover tests -v
+```
+
+**Linux/macOS (Bash):**
+```bash
+# Navigate back to the repository
+cd ~/path/to/hed-python
+
+# Run the test suite
+python -m unittest discover tests -v
+```
+
+#### 4.4 Verify Installation
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Check version
+python -c "import hed; print(hed.__version__)"
+
+# Test a basic import
+python -c "from hed import load_schema_version; schema = load_schema_version('8.3.0'); print('Success!')"
+```
+
+#### 4.5 Clean Up Test Environment
+
+**Windows (PowerShell):**
+```powershell
+deactivate
+Remove-Item -Recurse -Force test_env
+```
+
+**Linux/macOS (Bash):**
+```bash
+deactivate
+rm -rf test_env
+```
+
+### 5. Upload to PyPI
+
+#### 5.1 Check Distribution with Twine
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Validate the distribution packages
+python -m twine check dist/*
+```
+
+Expected output: `Checking dist/hedtools-0.7.0.tar.gz: PASSED` (and same for .whl)
+
+#### 5.2 Upload to Test PyPI (Optional but Recommended)
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Upload to TestPyPI first
+python -m twine upload --repository testpypi dist/*
+```
+
+You'll be prompted for your TestPyPI credentials.
+
+**Test installation from TestPyPI:**
+```bash
+pip install --index-url https://test.pypi.org/simple/ --extra-index-url https://pypi.org/simple/ hedtools==0.7.0
+```
+
+#### 5.3 Upload to Production PyPI
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+# Upload to the real PyPI
+python -m twine upload dist/*
+```
+
+You'll be prompted for your PyPI credentials (or use an API token).
+
+**Alternative with API Token:**
+
+*Windows (PowerShell):*
+```powershell
+# Set your PyPI API token as an environment variable
+$env:TWINE_USERNAME = "__token__"
+$env:TWINE_PASSWORD = "pypi-your-api-token-here"
+
+# Upload
+python -m twine upload dist/*
+```
+
+*Linux/macOS (Bash):*
+```bash
+# Set your PyPI API token as an environment variable
+export TWINE_USERNAME="__token__"
+export TWINE_PASSWORD="pypi-your-api-token-here"
+
+# Upload
+python -m twine upload dist/*
+```
+
+#### 5.4 Verify on PyPI
+
+Visit https://pypi.org/project/hedtools/ and verify:
+- [ ] Version 0.7.0 is listed
+- [ ] README renders correctly
+- [ ] All metadata is correct
+- [ ] Download links work
+
+### 6. Create GitHub Release
+
+#### 6.1 Navigate to Releases
+
+Go to: https://github.com/hed-standard/hed-python/releases/new
+
+#### 6.2 Create Release
+
+Fill in the release form:
+
+- **Choose a tag:** Select `0.7.0` from the dropdown
+- **Release title:** `Release 0.7.0`
+- **Description:** Copy the relevant section from CHANGELOG.md
+
+**Example description:**
+```markdown
+## What's New in 0.7.0
+
+### Features
+- Added comprehensive logging infrastructure with configurable log levels and file output
+- Enhanced validate_bids script with improved error reporting and filtering capabilities
+- Added error code counting and filtering by count/file in ErrorHandler
+
+### Documentation
+- Added comprehensive CONTRIBUTING.md with development guidelines
+- Significantly enhanced README.md with better documentation structure
+- Improved user guide documentation
+
+### Bug Fixes
+- Fixed Windows path handling in tests
+- Fixed typos and improved code documentation
+
+### Full Changelog
+See [CHANGELOG.md](https://github.com/hed-standard/hed-python/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md)
+```
+
+#### 6.3 Attach Build Artifacts
+
+- Upload `dist/hedtools-0.7.0-py3-none-any.whl`
+- Upload `dist/hedtools-0.7.0.tar.gz`
+
+#### 6.4 Publish Release
+
+Click **Publish release**
+
+### 7. Post-Release Verification
+
+#### 7.1 Test Installation from PyPI
+
+In a fresh environment:
+
+**All Platforms:**
+```bash
+pip install --upgrade hedtools
+python -c "import hed; print(hed.__version__)"
+```
+
+Expected output: `0.7.0`
+
+#### 7.2 Verify Documentation
+
+Check that documentation sites are updated (may take some time):
+- https://www.hedtags.org/hed-python/
+
+#### 7.3 Announce the Release
+
+Consider announcing the release:
+- [ ] GitHub Discussions
+- [ ] HED mailing list
+- [ ] Community forums
+- [ ] Social media (if applicable)
+
+### 8. Troubleshooting
+
+#### Issue: Wrong version number after tagging
+
+**Problem:** `python -c "import hed; print(hed.__version__)"` shows wrong version
+
+**Solution:**
+```bash
+# Fetch all tags
+git fetch --tags
+
+# Verify tag exists
+git tag -l
+
+# Check versioneer can find it
+python -c "import hed._version; print(hed._version.get_versions())"
+```
+
+#### Issue: Build fails with "No module named X"
+
+**Problem:** Missing dependencies during build
+
+**Solution:**
+```bash
+# Ensure build tools are installed
+pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel build
+
+# Try building again
+python -m build
+```
+
+#### Issue: Upload to PyPI fails with authentication error
+
+**Problem:** Invalid credentials or API token
+
+**Solution:**
+- Create a new API token at https://pypi.org/manage/account/token/
+- Scope it to the `hedtools` project only
+- Use `__token__` as username and the token as password
+
+#### Issue: Tag already exists
+
+**Problem:** You need to delete and recreate a tag
+
+**Solution:**
+```bash
+# Delete local tag
+git tag -d 0.7.0
+
+# Delete remote tag (CAUTION: only if not yet released!)
+git push origin :refs/tags/0.7.0
+
+# Recreate the tag
+git tag -a 0.7.0 -m "Release version 0.7.0"
+git push origin 0.7.0
+```
+
+**WARNING:** Only delete remote tags if the release hasn't been published yet!
+
+## Version Numbering Guidelines
+
+HED-Python follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/):
+
+- **MAJOR version (X.0.0):** Incompatible API changes
+- **MINOR version (0.X.0):** New features, backward-compatible
+- **PATCH version (0.0.X):** Bug fixes, backward-compatible
+
+### When to increment:
+
+- **MAJOR:** Breaking changes, API redesign, major architectural changes
+- **MINOR:** New features, new functions/classes, enhancements (this release: 0.7.0)
+- **PATCH:** Bug fixes, documentation fixes, small improvements (0.7.1)
+
+## Quick Reference Commands
+
+**Windows (PowerShell):**
+```powershell
+# Complete release workflow
+git status                                    # Check working tree
+git add CHANGELOG.md                          # Stage changelog
+git commit -m "Update CHANGELOG for v0.7.0"   # Commit
+git push origin main                          # Push to main
+git tag -a 0.7.0 -m "Release version 0.7.0"   # Create tag
+git push origin 0.7.0                         # Push tag
+Remove-Item -Recurse -Force dist, build, *.egg-info -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+python -m build                               # Build
+python -m twine check dist/*                  # Verify
+python -m twine upload dist/*                 # Upload
+```
+
+**Linux/macOS (Bash):**
+```bash
+# Complete release workflow
+git status                                    # Check working tree
+git add CHANGELOG.md                          # Stage changelog
+git commit -m "Update CHANGELOG for 0.7.0"    # Commit
+git push origin main                          # Push to main
+git tag -a 0.7.0 -m "Release version 0.7.0"   # Create tag
+git push origin 0.7.0                         # Push tag
+rm -rf dist build *.egg-info                  # Clean old builds
+python -m build                               # Build
+python -m twine check dist/*                  # Verify
+python -m twine upload dist/*                 # Upload
+```
+
+## Additional Resources
+
+- [Python Packaging Guide](https://packaging.python.org/)
+- [Versioneer Documentation](https://github.com/python-versioneer/python-versioneer)
+- [PyPI Help](https://pypi.org/help/)
+- [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/)
+- [HED Documentation](https://www.hedtags.org/)
+
+## Contacts
+
+For questions about the release process:
+- **Maintainer:** Kay Robbins (Kay.Robbins@utsa.edu)
+- **Repository:** https://github.com/hed-standard/hed-python
+- **Issues:** https://github.com/hed-standard/hed-python/issues