diff --git a/quadkey/__init__.py b/quadkey/__init__.py
index 34312c8..3bb4fb5 100644
--- a/quadkey/__init__.py
+++ b/quadkey/__init__.py
@@ -94,20 +94,21 @@ def __str__(self):
 	def __repr__(self):
 		return self.key
 
-	@staticmethod
-	def from_geo(geo, level):
-		"""
-		Constucts a quadkey representation from geo and level
-		geo => (lat, lon)
-		If lat or lon are outside of bounds, they will be clipped
-		If level is outside of bounds, an AssertionError is raised
-
-		"""
-		pixel = TileSystem.geo_to_pixel(geo, level)
-		tile = TileSystem.pixel_to_tile(pixel)
-		key = TileSystem.tile_to_quadkey(tile, level)
-		return QuadKey(key)
-
-	@staticmethod
-	def from_tile(tile, level):
-		return QuadKey(TileSystem.tile_to_quadkey(tile, level))
+def from_geo(geo, level):
+    """
+    Constucts a quadkey representation from geo and level
+    geo => (lat, lon)
+    If lat or lon are outside of bounds, they will be clipped
+    If level is outside of bounds, an AssertionError is raised
+
+    """
+    pixel = TileSystem.geo_to_pixel(geo, level)
+    tile = TileSystem.pixel_to_tile(pixel)
+    key = TileSystem.tile_to_quadkey(tile, level)
+    return QuadKey(key)
+
+def from_tile(tile, level):
+    return QuadKey(TileSystem.tile_to_quadkey(tile, level))
+
+def from_str(qk_str):
+    return QuadKey(qk_str)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 016f954..0106ea6 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
 setup(name="quadkey",
-		version="0.0.4",
+		version="0.0.5",
 		description="Python Implementation for Geospatial Quadkeys",
 		author="Buck Heroux",
 		url="https://github.com/buckheroux/QuadKey",