diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 399048612..9721d5e6b 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ import beets
 
 MAX_FILENAME_LENGTH = 200
 
+# This is the default format when printing the import time
+# of an object. This needs to be a format accepted by time.strftime()
+ITIME_FORMAT = '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'
+
 # Fields in the "items" database table; all the metadata available for
 # items in the library. These are used directly in SQL; they are
 # vulnerable to injection if accessible to the user.
@@ -398,6 +402,9 @@ class Item(object):
         if not sanitize:
             mapping['path'] = displayable_path(self.path)
 
+	# Convert the import time to human readable
+	mapping['itime'] = time.strftime(ITIME_FORMAT, time.localtime(getattr(self, 'itime')))
+
         # Use the album artist if the track artist is not set and
         # vice-versa.
         if not mapping['artist']:
@@ -1741,6 +1748,9 @@ class Album(BaseAlbum):
         mapping['artpath'] = displayable_path(mapping['artpath'])
         mapping['path'] = displayable_path(self.item_dir())
 
+	# Convert the import time to human readable format
+	mapping['itime'] = time.strftime(ITIME_FORMAT, time.localtime(mapping['itime']))
+
         # Get template functions.
         funcs = DefaultTemplateFunctions().functions()
         funcs.update(plugins.template_funcs())
@@ -1829,6 +1839,12 @@ class DefaultTemplateFunctions(object):
         """
         return unidecode(s)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def tmpl_format(s, format):
+	"""Format the import time to any format according to time.strfime()
+	"""
+	return time.strftime(format, time.strptime(s, ITIME_FORMAT))
+
     def tmpl_aunique(self, keys=None, disam=None):
         """Generate a string that is guaranteed to be unique among all
         albums in the library who share the same set of keys. A fields
diff --git a/docs/reference/pathformat.rst b/docs/reference/pathformat.rst
index 13661d9d8..2474c97d5 100644
--- a/docs/reference/pathformat.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/pathformat.rst
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ track's artists.
 
 These functions are built in to beets:
 
-* ``%lower{text}``: Convert ``text`` to lowercase. 
+* ``%lower{text}``: Convert ``text`` to lowercase.
 * ``%upper{text}``: Convert ``text`` to UPPERCASE.
 * ``%title{text}``: Convert ``text`` to Title Case.
 * ``%left{text,n}``: Return the first ``n`` characters of ``text``.
@@ -70,8 +70,12 @@ These functions are built in to beets:
   `unidecode module`_.
 * ``%aunique{identifiers,disambiguators}``: Provides a unique string to
   disambiguate similar albums in the database. See :ref:`aunique`, below.
+* ``%format{date_time,format}``: Return the date and time in any format accepted
+  by the `time.strfime() method`_. Should probably be used together with the
+  ``itime`` field (import time).
 
 .. _unidecode module: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/Unidecode
+.. _time.strftime() method: http://docs.python.org/2/library/time.html#time.strftime
 
 Plugins can extend beets with more template functions (see
 :ref:`writing-plugins`).