diff --git a/paperforge/logging_config.py b/paperforge/logging_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..843bbe22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/paperforge/logging_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""PaperForge Lite — logging configuration single entry point.
+
+Call ``configure_logging(verbose)`` once at CLI startup before command dispatch.
+All worker and command modules use ``logging.getLogger(__name__)`` for
+diagnostic/trace/error output.
+
+Environment:
+    PAPERFORGE_LOG_LEVEL — default log level (DEBUG/INFO/WARNING/ERROR).
+    Invalid values silently fall back to WARNING.
+"""
+
+import logging
+import os
+import sys
+
+
+def configure_logging(verbose: bool = False) -> None:
+    """Configure the root ``paperforge`` logger.
+
+    Sets up a StreamHandler writing to stderr with a ``LEVEL:name:message``
+    format string. Idempotent — does nothing if handlers are already
+    configured (guards against double ``basicConfig()`` or ``dictConfig()``).
+
+    Args:
+        verbose: If True, forces ``DEBUG`` level regardless of env var.
+    """
+    logger = logging.getLogger("paperforge")
+
+    # Idempotency guard: if handlers already exist, only adjust level.
+    # This prevents duplicate log lines from multiple configure_logging calls.
+    if logger.handlers:
+        if verbose:
+            logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        return
+
+    # Resolve log level from environment or default
+    level_name = os.environ.get("PAPERFORGE_LOG_LEVEL", "INFO").strip().upper()
+    level = getattr(logging, level_name, None)
+    if not isinstance(level, int) or level_name not in ("DEBUG", "INFO", "WARNING", "ERROR"):
+        level = logging.WARNING
+
+    if verbose:
+        level = logging.DEBUG
+
+    logger.setLevel(level)
+
+    handler = logging.StreamHandler(stream=sys.stderr)
+    handler.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)  # handler-level always DEBUG; logger controls filtering
+    formatter = logging.Formatter(
+        fmt="%(levelname)s:%(name)s:%(message)s",
+        datefmt="%H:%M:%S",
+    )
+    handler.setFormatter(formatter)
+    logger.addHandler(handler)
+
+
+def get_paperforge_logger() -> logging.Logger:
+    """Convenience accessor for the ``paperforge`` logger.
+
+    Equivalent to ``logging.getLogger("paperforge")`` but provides a single
+    well-known reference point for early-boot logging before
+    ``configure_logging()`` has been called.
+
+    Callers in worker/command modules should still prefer the per-module
+    ``logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)`` pattern. This function exists
+    for places (like ``cli.py:main()``) that need the root logger before
+    per-module loggers are established.
+    """
+    return logging.getLogger("paperforge")