diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/ResourcesItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/ResourcesItemReader.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22b113986
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/ResourcesItemReader.java
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package org.springframework.batch.item.file;
+
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
+
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemReader;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStreamException;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStreamReader;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.util.ExecutionContextUserSupport;
+import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
+import org.springframework.core.io.support.ResourceArrayPropertyEditor;
+
+/**
+ * {@link ItemReader} which produces {@link Resource} instances from an array.
+ * This can be used conveniently with a configuration entry that injects a
+ * pattern (e.g. <code>mydir/*.txt</code>, which can then be converted by Spring
+ * to an array of Resources by the ApplicationContext.
+ * 
+ * <br/>
+ * <br/>
+ * 
+ * Thread safe between calls to {@link #open(ExecutionContext)}. The
+ * {@link ExecutionContext} is not accurate in a multi-threaded environment, so
+ * do not rely on that data for restart (i.e. always open with a fresh context).
+ * 
+ * @author Dave Syer
+ * 
+ * @see ResourceArrayPropertyEditor
+ * 
+ * @since 2.1
+ */
+public class ResourcesItemReader extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implements ItemStreamReader<Resource> {
+
+	private Resource[] resources = new Resource[0];
+
+	private AtomicInteger counter = new AtomicInteger(0);
+
+	{
+		/*
+		 * Initialize the name for the key in the execution context.
+		 */
+		setName(getClass().getName());
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * The resources to serve up as items. Hint: use a pattern to configure.
+	 * 
+	 * @param resources the resources
+	 */
+	public void setResources(Resource[] resources) {
+		this.resources = resources;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Increments a counter and returns the next {@link Resource} instance from
+	 * the input, or null if none remain.
+	 */
+	public synchronized Resource read() throws Exception {
+		int index = counter.incrementAndGet() - 1;
+		if (index >= resources.length) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		return resources[index];
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void close() throws ItemStreamException {
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void open(ExecutionContext executionContext) throws ItemStreamException {
+		counter.set(executionContext.getInt(getKey("COUNT"), 0));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void update(ExecutionContext executionContext) throws ItemStreamException {
+		executionContext.putInt(getKey("COUNT"), counter.get());
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/ExecutionContextUserSupport.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/ExecutionContextUserSupport.java
index 5672e1535..eb70d9510 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/ExecutionContextUserSupport.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/util/ExecutionContextUserSupport.java
@@ -28,6 +28,15 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 public class ExecutionContextUserSupport {
 
 	private String name;
+	
+	public ExecutionContextUserSupport() {
+		super();
+	}
+
+	public ExecutionContextUserSupport(String name) {
+		super();
+		this.name = name;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * @return name used to uniquely identify this instance's entries in shared
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/ResourcesItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/ResourcesItemReaderTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d934c293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/ResourcesItemReaderTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package org.springframework.batch.item.file;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
+import org.springframework.core.io.ByteArrayResource;
+import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
+
+public class ResourcesItemReaderTests {
+
+	private ResourcesItemReader reader = new ResourcesItemReader();
+
+	@Before
+	public void init() {
+		reader.setResources(new Resource[] { new ByteArrayResource("foo".getBytes()),
+				new ByteArrayResource("bar".getBytes()) });
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testRead() throws Exception {
+		assertNotNull(reader.read());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testExhaustRead() throws Exception {
+		for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+			assertNotNull(reader.read());
+		}
+		assertNull(reader.read());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testReadAfterOpen() throws Exception {
+		ExecutionContext executionContext = new ExecutionContext();
+		executionContext.putInt(reader.getKey("COUNT"), 1);
+		reader.open(executionContext);
+		assertNotNull(reader.read());
+		assertNull(reader.read());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testReadAndUpdate() throws Exception {
+		ExecutionContext executionContext = new ExecutionContext();
+		assertNotNull(reader.read());
+
+		reader.update(executionContext);
+		assertEquals(1, executionContext.getInt(reader.getKey("COUNT")));
+	}
+
+}