diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero-platform/mac/overlay.css b/chrome/content/zotero-platform/mac/overlay.css
index 10bd317a40..ba5a5ae53c 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero-platform/mac/overlay.css
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero-platform/mac/overlay.css
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
 	background-color: #ffffff;
 }
 
-#zotero-item-pane-message {
+#zotero-item-pane-message-box description {
 	color: #7f7f7f;
 }
 
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul b/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
index 2176e7ebc1..70f89167e9 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 		<deck id="zotero-item-pane-content" selectedIndex="0" flex="1">
 			<!-- Center label (for zero or multiple item selection) -->
 			<groupbox id="zotero-item-pane-groupbox" pack="center" align="center">
-				<label id="zotero-item-pane-message"/>
+				<vbox id="zotero-item-pane-message-box"/>
 			</groupbox>
 			
 			<!-- Regular item -->
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/itemTreeView.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/itemTreeView.js
index 012f5c2f25..2c73a8df4f 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/itemTreeView.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/itemTreeView.js
@@ -234,10 +234,38 @@ Zotero.ItemTreeView.prototype.setTree = Zotero.Promise.coroutine(function* (tree
 		this.expandMatchParents();
 		
 		if (this._ownerDocument.defaultView.ZoteroPane_Local) {
-			this._ownerDocument.defaultView.ZoteroPane_Local.clearItemsPaneMessage();
+			// For My Publications, show intro text in middle pane if no items
+			if (this.collectionTreeRow && this.collectionTreeRow.isPublications() && !this.rowCount) {
+				let doc = this._ownerDocument;
+				let ns = 'http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'
+				let div = doc.createElementNS(ns, 'div');
+				let p = doc.createElementNS(ns, 'p');
+				p.textContent = Zotero.getString('publications.intro.text1', ZOTERO_CONFIG.DOMAIN_NAME);
+				div.appendChild(p);
+				
+				p = doc.createElementNS(ns, 'p');
+				p.textContent = Zotero.getString('publications.intro.text2');
+				div.appendChild(p);
+				
+				p = doc.createElementNS(ns, 'p');
+				let html = Zotero.getString('publications.intro.text3');
+				// Convert <b> tags to placeholders
+				html = html.replace('<b>', ':b:').replace('</b>', ':/b:');
+				// Encode any other special chars, which shouldn't exist
+				html = Zotero.Utilities.htmlSpecialChars(html);
+				// Restore bold text
+				html = html.replace(':b:', '<strong>').replace(':/b:', '</strong>');
+				p.innerHTML = html; // AMO note: markup from hard-coded strings and filtered above
+				div.appendChild(p);
+				
+				content = div;
+				doc.defaultView.ZoteroPane_Local.setItemsPaneMessage(content);
+			}
+			else {
+				this._ownerDocument.defaultView.ZoteroPane_Local.clearItemsPaneMessage();
+			}
 		}
 		
-		// Select a queued item from selectItem()
 		if (this.collectionTreeRow && this.collectionTreeRow.itemToSelect) {
 			var item = this.collectionTreeRow.itemToSelect;
 			yield this.selectItem(item['id'], item['expand']);
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
index feff5a1153..298d7ffac6 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
@@ -3047,21 +3047,24 @@ var ZoteroPane = new function()
 	}
 	
 	
-	function setItemsPaneMessage(msg, lock) {
+	function setItemsPaneMessage(content, lock) {
 		var elem = document.getElementById('zotero-items-pane-message-box');
 		
 		if (elem.getAttribute('locked') == 'true') {
 			return;
 		}
 		
-		while (elem.hasChildNodes()) {
-			elem.removeChild(elem.firstChild);
+		elem.textContent = '';
+		if (typeof content == 'string') {
+			let contentParts = content.split("\n\n");
+			for (let part of contentParts) {
+				var desc = document.createElement('description');
+				desc.appendChild(document.createTextNode(part));
+				elem.appendChild(desc);
+			}
 		}
-		var msgParts = msg.split("\n\n");
-		for (var i=0; i<msgParts.length; i++) {
-			var desc = document.createElement('description');
-			desc.appendChild(document.createTextNode(msgParts[i]));
-			elem.appendChild(desc);
+		else {
+			elem.appendChild(content);
 		}
 		
 		// Make message permanent
@@ -3084,11 +3087,22 @@ var ZoteroPane = new function()
 	}
 	
 	
-	this.setItemPaneMessage = function (msg) {
+	this.setItemPaneMessage = function (content) {
 		document.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-content').selectedIndex = 0;
 		
-		var label = document.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message');
-		label.value = msg;
+		var elem = document.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message-box');
+		elem.textContent = '';
+		if (typeof content == 'string') {
+			let contentParts = content.split("\n\n");
+			for (let part of contentParts) {
+				let desc = document.createElement('description');
+				desc.appendChild(document.createTextNode(part));
+				elem.appendChild(desc);
+			}
+		}
+		else {
+			elem.appendChild(content);
+		}
 	}
 	
 	
diff --git a/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties b/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties
index e251df1c2d..d9e43a3fe5 100644
--- a/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties
+++ b/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties
@@ -1052,6 +1052,10 @@ styles.editor.output.individualCitations		= Individual Citations
 styles.editor.output.singleCitation		= Single Citation (with position "first")
 styles.preview.instructions		= Select one or more items in Zotero and click the "Refresh" button to see how these items are rendered by the installed CSL citation styles.
 
+publications.intro.text1 = My Publications allows you to create a list of your own work and share it on your profile page on %S. You can add notes about each item and even share PDFs or other files under a license you specify.
+publications.intro.text2 = To add items, drag them from another library. You’ll be able to choose whether to include attached notes and files.
+publications.intro.text3 = <b>Only add work you yourself have created</b>, and only include files if you have the rights to distribute them publicly and wish to do so.
+
 publications.sharing.keepRightsField = Keep the existing Rights field
 publications.sharing.keepRightsFieldWhereAvailable = Keep the existing Rights field where available
 publications.cc.moreInfo.text = Be sure you have read the Creative Commons %S before placing your work under a CC license. Note that the license you apply cannot be revoked, even if you later choose different terms or cease publishing the work.
diff --git a/chrome/skin/default/zotero/itemPane.css b/chrome/skin/default/zotero/itemPane.css
index 99a56d8fc6..27edc56603 100644
--- a/chrome/skin/default/zotero/itemPane.css
+++ b/chrome/skin/default/zotero/itemPane.css
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#zotero-item-pane-message {
+.zotero-item-pane-message-box description {
 	padding: 0 2em;
 }
 
diff --git a/chrome/skin/default/zotero/overlay.css b/chrome/skin/default/zotero/overlay.css
index f5d726c885..7b61d16d46 100644
--- a/chrome/skin/default/zotero/overlay.css
+++ b/chrome/skin/default/zotero/overlay.css
@@ -226,6 +226,23 @@
 	min-width: 290px;
 }
 
+/* Used for intro text for My Publications */
+#zotero-items-pane-message-box {
+	overflow-y: auto;
+	cursor: default;
+}
+
+#zotero-items-pane-message-box div {
+	padding: 0 35px;
+}
+
+#zotero-items-pane-message-box p {
+	max-width: 800px;
+	font-size: 1.2em;
+	line-height: 1.7em;
+	text-align: left;
+}
+
 #zotero-item-pane
 {
 	width: 338px;
diff --git a/test/tests/zoteroPaneTest.js b/test/tests/zoteroPaneTest.js
index a86c23df97..135a645e03 100644
--- a/test/tests/zoteroPaneTest.js
+++ b/test/tests/zoteroPaneTest.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ describe("ZoteroPane", function() {
 			
 			// Unselected, with no items in view
 			assert.equal(
-				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message').value,
+				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message-box').textContent,
 				Zotero.getString('pane.item.unselected.zero', 0)
 			);
 			
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ describe("ZoteroPane", function() {
 				skipSelect: true
 			});
 			assert.equal(
-				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message').value,
+				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message-box').textContent,
 				Zotero.getString('pane.item.unselected.singular', 1)
 			);
 			
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ describe("ZoteroPane", function() {
 				skipSelect: true
 			});
 			assert.equal(
-				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message').value,
+				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message-box').textContent,
 				Zotero.getString('pane.item.unselected.plural', 2)
 			);
 			
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ describe("ZoteroPane", function() {
 			zp.itemsView.rememberSelection([itemID1, itemID2]);
 			yield promise;
 			assert.equal(
-				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message').value,
+				doc.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-message-box').textContent,
 				Zotero.getString('pane.item.selected.multiple', 2)
 			);
 		})