diff --git a/src/hdf5_data_extraction.py b/src/hdf5_data_extraction.py
index 76607b1..1ee8182 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_data_extraction.py
+++ b/src/hdf5_data_extraction.py
@@ -80,6 +80,23 @@ class HDF5DataOpsManager():
         self.file_obj[group_name].create_dataset(dataset_dict['name'], data=dataset_dict['data'])
         self.file_obj[group_name][dataset_dict['name']].attrs.update(dataset_dict['attributes'])
 
+    def append_annotations(self, obj_name, annotation_dict):
+        """ appends annotations in the form of a dictionary to the obj (group or dataset) spefified by obj_name"""
+
+        obj = self.file_obj[obj_name]
+
+        # Verify if attributes to append are all new 
+        if any(new_attr_key in obj.attrs.keys() for new_attr_key in annotation_dict.keys()):
+            self.close_file()
+            raise ValueError("Make sure the provided key, value pairs are not existing metadata elements or attributes. To modify or delete existing attributes use .modify_annotation() or .delete_annotation()")
+
+        for new_attr_key in annotation_dict.keys():
+            value = annotation_dict[new_attr_key]
+            if isinstance(value, dict):
+                annotation_dict[new_attr_key] = utils.parse_attribute(annotation_dict[new_attr_key])                
+        obj.attrs.update(annotation_dict)
+
+
     def reformat_datetime_column(self, dataset_name, column_name, src_format, desired_format='%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S.%f'):
         # Access the dataset
         dataset = self.file_obj[dataset_name]