diff --git a/RELEASE-NOTES b/RELEASE-NOTES
index 5343e4e..79ac010 100644
--- a/RELEASE-NOTES
+++ b/RELEASE-NOTES
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-verion 0.8.0
+version 0.8.1
+-------------
+
+** NOTE: this version has a new Python package dependency: pylru
+
+- fix for IRC encoding killing IRC connection
+- add lru cache for history
+
+version 0.8.0
 ------------
 
 - stale connections are periodically closed.  See docs/ENV-NOTES for
diff --git a/docs/HOWTO.rst b/docs/HOWTO.rst
index 2775ec4..20cae89 100644
--- a/docs/HOWTO.rst
+++ b/docs/HOWTO.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ small - patches welcome.
 
 + Python3:  ElectrumX uses asyncio.  Python version >=3.5 is required.
 + plyvel:   Python interface to LevelDB.  I am using plyvel-0.9.
++ pylru:    Python LRU cache package.  I'm using 1.0.9.
 + aiohttp:  Python library for asynchronous HTTP.  ElectrumX uses it for
             communication with the daemon.  Version >= 1.0 required; I am
             using 1.0.5.
diff --git a/server/version.py b/server/version.py
index 8a6e890..389d504 100644
--- a/server/version.py
+++ b/server/version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-VERSION = "ElectrumX 0.8.0"
+VERSION = "ElectrumX 0.8.1"