diff --git a/docs/change_log.md b/docs/change_log.md
index 1bd8b7832..c91e8915d 100644
--- a/docs/change_log.md
+++ b/docs/change_log.md
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ There is one significant exception to the above rules -- `MAJOR=0` releases. Any
 **Fixes**
 -->
 
+- no new changes have been merged into the `main` branch yet
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+## v0.17.0 (2024.05.20)
+
 **Enhancements**
 
 - add api authentication via tokens for private Simmate servers
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ae5a9906a..149c7e506 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ name="simmate"
 # Versions should comply with PEP 440:
 # https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0440/
 # https://semver.org/
-version="0.16.1"
+version="0.17.0"
 
 # Maintainer info
 authors = [{name = "Jack D. Sundberg", email = "jacksund@live.unc.edu"}]