diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 3df05eedbe..2eb1667740 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+if(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR)
+    # Build examples as standalone project
+    cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.18)
+    project(bag-example LANGUAGES C CXX)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
+    set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeModules" ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH})
+endif()
+
 if(NOT BAG_BUILD_BAG_LIB)
   # Find installed BAGLIB as we did not build it
   find_package(BAG REQUIRED)
diff --git a/examples/CMakeModules/FindBAG.cmake b/examples/CMakeModules/FindBAG.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..969d5109fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/CMakeModules/FindBAG.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# Distributed under the OSI-approved BSD 3-Clause License.  See LICENSE
+# file accompanying BAG source for details.
+
+#[=======================================================================[.rst:
+FindBAG
+-------
+
+Finds the BAG library.
+
+Imported Targets
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+This module provides the following imported targets, if found:
+
+  The baglib library
+
+Result Variables
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+This will define the following variables:
+
+``BAG_FOUND``
+  True if the system has the BAG library.
+``BAG_VERSION``
+  The version of the BAG library which was found.
+``BAG_INCLUDE_DIRS``
+  Include directories needed to use BAG.
+``BAG_LIBRARIES``
+  Libraries needed to link to BAG.
+
+Cache Variables
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+The following cache variables may also be set:
+
+``BAG_INCLUDE_DIR``
+  The directory containing ``bag_dataset.h``.
+``BAG_LIBRARY``
+  The path to the BAG library.
+
+#]=======================================================================]
+
+find_package(PkgConfig)
+pkg_check_modules(PC_BAG QUIET BAG)
+
+find_path(BAG_INCLUDE_DIR
+  NAMES bag_dataset.h
+  PATHS ${PC_BAG_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+  PATH_SUFFIXES
+    include
+    include/bag
+    include/BAG
+    include/baglib
+)
+find_library(BAG_LIBRARY
+  NAMES baglib
+  PATHS ${PC_BAG_LIBRARY_DIRS}
+)
+
+set(BAG_VERSION ${PC_BAG_VERSION})
+
+include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
+find_package_handle_standard_args(BAG
+  FOUND_VAR BAG_FOUND
+  REQUIRED_VARS
+  BAG_LIBRARY
+  BAG_INCLUDE_DIR
+  VERSION_VAR BAG_VERSION
+)
+
+if(BAG_FOUND)
+  set(BAG_LIBRARIES ${BAG_LIBRARY})
+  set(BAG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${BAG_INCLUDE_DIR})
+  set(BAG_DEFINITIONS ${PC_BAG_CFLAGS_OTHER})
+endif()
+
+mark_as_advanced(
+  BAG_INCLUDE_DIR
+  BAG_LIBRARY
+)
diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1cdb8fd053
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# BAG C++ Sample Programs
+
+## Building standalone
+First install libbaglib from the
+[conda-forge](https://anaconda.org/conda-forge/libbaglib).
+
+Then install the following additional conda-forge packages:
+```shell
+conda install -c conda-forge ninja gcc gxx
+```
+
+Finally, build BAG examples (make sure you are in the `examples` sub-directory
+when running these commands:
+```shell
+export CC=gcc	# Windows: set CC=gcc
+export CXX=g++	# Windows: set GXX=g++
+cmake -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -B build -S .
+cmake --build build
+```
+
+## sample-data
+Contains a sample XML file and a prebuild BAG file as trivial
+examples.
+
+## bag_read
+A sample reading of a Bag file. See the readme.txt file inside 
+the sample-data directory for more information to test this 
+program.
+
+## bag_create
+Creates a sample 10x10 row/column BAG file. See the readme.txt 
+file inside the sample-data directory for more information on 
+how to test this program.
+
+## bag_compoundlayer
+Creates and reads a GeorefMetadataLayer.
+
+## bag_vr_create
+Creates a variable resolution BAG.
+
+## bag_vr_read
+Reads a variable resolution BAG.
diff --git a/examples/Readme.txt b/examples/Readme.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 98eb2621a7..0000000000
--- a/examples/Readme.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-
-Overview of the C++ Sample Programs
-
-Environment
-===========
-
-Don't forget the requirement for BAG_HOME before trying the examples.
-
-On Linux/OS X:
-
-export	BAG_HOME=$PWD/../configdata
-setenv  BAG_HOME $PWD/../configdata
-
-On Windows:
-
-set BAG_HOME=%CD%\..\configdata
-
-
-sample-data
------------
-
-   Contains a sample XML file and a prebuild BAG file as trivial 
-   examples.
-
-bag_read
---------
-
-   A sample reading of a Bag file. See the readme.txt file inside 
-   the sample-data directory for more information to test this 
-   program.
-
-bag_create
-----------
-
-   Creates a sample 10x10 row/column BAG file. See the readme.txt 
-   file inside the sample-data directory for more information on 
-   how to test this program.
-
-bag_compoundlayer
------------------
-
-    Creates and reads a GeorefMetadataLayer.
-
-bag_vr_create
--------------
-
-    Creates a variable resolution BAG.
-
-bag_vr_read
------------
-
-    Reads a variable resolution BAG.