diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 825c811..1ef61b7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -118,24 +118,30 @@ If you only want to *listen* for errors, you can use *event listeners*:
 
 With this method, you don't have to explicitly send the response back, in case of an error.
 
-### Options when creating an instance of `Server` #
+### Setting rfc2616 Cache Options Options # 
+Controling caching is an important part of optimizing your static file server. In node-static a subset of the rfc2616 `Cache-Control` headers are exposed. 
 
-#### `cache` #
+To enable caching set the cache options when creating a node-static server:
 
-Sets the `Cache-Control` header.
+    var cacheServer = new static.Server('./public', { cache: 7200 });
 
-example: `{ cache: 7200 }`
+* Passing a number will set the cache duration to that number of seconds. 
+* Passing `false` will disable the `Cache-Control` header.
+* Default value is `3600`
 
-Passing a number will set the cache duration to that number of seconds.
-Passing `false` will disable the `Cache-Control` header.
+There are additional options you can pass which set additional optional components of the [rfc2616 Cache-Control header][0]:
 
-> Defaults to `3600`
+* `revalidate`: Sets 'must-revalidate' which tells caches that they must obey any freshness information you give them about a representation. HTTP allows caches to serve stale representations under special conditions; by specifying this header, you’re telling the cache that you want it to strictly follow your rules. [Source][1]
+* `public`: Sets 'public' which marks authenticated responses as cacheable; normally, if HTTP authentication is required, responses are automatically private. [Source][1]
+* `private`: Sets 'private' which allows caches that are specific to one user (e.g., in a browser) to store the response; shared caches (e.g., in a proxy) may not. [Source][1]
 
-#### `headers` #
+### Setting Custom Response Headers
 
-Sets response headers.
+It is possible to set custom response headers by setting the `headers` option when creating an instance of a node-static Server.
 
-example: `{ 'X-Hello': 'World!' }`
+    var server = new static.Server('./public', { 'X-Hello': 'World!' });
 
-> defaults to `{}`
+* defaults to `{}`
 
+[0]: http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html#sec14.9
+[1]: http://www.mnot.net/cache_docs/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/file-server.js b/examples/file-server.js
index a12c43b..38dc965 100644
--- a/examples/file-server.js
+++ b/examples/file-server.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ var static = require('../lib/node-static');
 //
 // Create a node-static server to serve the current directory
 //
-var file = new(static.Server)('.', { cache: 7200, headers: {'X-Hello':'World!'} });
+var file = new(static.Server)('.', { cache: 7200, revalidate: true, public: true, headers: {'X-Hello':'World!'} });
 
 require('http').createServer(function (request, response) {
     request.addListener('end', function () {
diff --git a/lib/node-static.js b/lib/node-static.js
index 4335768..9995678 100644
--- a/lib/node-static.js
+++ b/lib/node-static.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ this.indexStore = {};
 this.Server = function (root, options) {
     if (root && (typeof(root) === 'object')) { options = root, root = null }
 
+    var that     = this;
     this.root    = path.normalize(root || '.');
     this.options = options || {};
     this.cache   = 3600;
@@ -27,16 +28,29 @@ this.Server = function (root, options) {
     this.defaultHeaders  = {};
     this.options.headers = this.options.headers || {};
 
-    if ('cache' in this.options) {
-        if (typeof(this.options.cache) === 'number') {
-            this.cache = this.options.cache;
-        } else if (! this.options.cache) {
-            this.cache = false;
+    if (this.cache in this.options) {
+        function setCacheOption (option, type, def) {
+          that[option] = typeof(that.options[option]) === type ? that.options[option] : def;
         }
+
+        setCacheOption('cache', 'number', false);
+        setCacheOption('revalidate', 'boolean', false);
+        setCacheOption('public', 'boolean', false);
+        setCacheOption('private', 'boolean', false);
     }
 
     if (this.cache !== false) {
-        this.defaultHeaders['Cache-Control'] = 'max-age=' + this.cache;
+        function setCacheControl(expr, value) {
+          if (expr) cacheControl.push(value);
+        }
+        
+        var cacheControl = [];
+        setCacheControl(this.public === true && !this.private, 'public');
+        setCacheControl(this.private === true && !this.public, 'private');
+        setCacheControl(true, 'max-age=' + this.cache);
+        setCacheControl(this.revalidate === true, 'must-revalidate');
+        
+        this.defaultHeaders['Cache-Control'] = cacheControl.join(', ');
     }
     this.defaultHeaders['Server'] = serverInfo;
 
@@ -230,7 +244,8 @@ this.Server.prototype.stream = function (pathname, files, buffer, res, callback)
 
         if (file) {
             // Stream the file to the client
-            fs.createReadStream(path.join(pathname || '.', file), {
+            var target = file[0] === '/' ? file : path.join(pathname || '.', file); 
+            fs.createReadStream(target, {
                 flags: 'r',
                 mode: 0666
             }).on('data', function (chunk) {