diff --git a/IPython/html/files/handlers.py b/IPython/html/files/handlers.py
index 7adbacf50..e78374edd 100644
--- a/IPython/html/files/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/files/handlers.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class FilesHandler(IPythonHandler):
         else:
             name = path
         
-        model = cm.get_model(path)
+        model = cm.get(path)
         
         if self.get_argument("download", False):
             self.set_header('Content-Disposition','attachment; filename="%s"' % name)
diff --git a/IPython/html/nbconvert/handlers.py b/IPython/html/nbconvert/handlers.py
index f2e8c211f..749cd9dcf 100644
--- a/IPython/html/nbconvert/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/nbconvert/handlers.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class NbconvertFileHandler(IPythonHandler):
         exporter = get_exporter(format, config=self.config, log=self.log)
         
         path = path.strip('/')
-        model = self.contents_manager.get_model(path=path)
+        model = self.contents_manager.get(path=path)
         name = model['name']
 
         self.set_header('Last-Modified', model['last_modified'])
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/contents/filemanager.py b/IPython/html/services/contents/filemanager.py
index f718d0863..2030cb424 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/contents/filemanager.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/contents/filemanager.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class FileContentsManager(ContentsManager):
                     self.log.debug("%s not a regular file", os_path)
                     continue
                 if self.should_list(name) and not is_hidden(os_path, self.root_dir):
-                    contents.append(self.get_model(
+                    contents.append(self.get(
                         path='%s/%s' % (path, name),
                         content=False)
                     )
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class FileContentsManager(ContentsManager):
             self.validate_notebook_model(model)
         return model
 
-    def get_model(self, path, content=True, type_=None, format=None):
+    def get(self, path, content=True, type_=None, format=None):
         """ Takes a path for an entity and returns its model
 
         Parameters
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class FileContentsManager(ContentsManager):
             self.validate_notebook_model(model)
             validation_message = model.get('message', None)
 
-        model = self.get_model(path, content=False)
+        model = self.get(path, content=False)
         if validation_message:
             model['message'] = validation_message
         return model
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ class FileContentsManager(ContentsManager):
         new_path = model.get('path', path).strip('/')
         if path != new_path:
             self.rename(path, new_path)
-        model = self.get_model(new_path, content=False)
+        model = self.get(new_path, content=False)
         return model
 
     def delete(self, path):
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/contents/handlers.py b/IPython/html/services/contents/handlers.py
index 8c3526b9a..ea33f17a6 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/contents/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/contents/handlers.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class ContentsHandler(IPythonHandler):
         if format not in {None, 'text', 'base64'}:
             raise web.HTTPError(400, u'Format %r is invalid' % format)
 
-        model = self.contents_manager.get_model(path=path, type_=type_, format=format)
+        model = self.contents_manager.get(path=path, type_=type_, format=format)
         if model['type'] == 'directory':
             # group listing by type, then by name (case-insensitive)
             # FIXME: sorting should be done in the frontends
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/contents/manager.py b/IPython/html/services/contents/manager.py
index d97264a1f..bbd6edeaf 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/contents/manager.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/contents/manager.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class ContentsManager(LoggingConfigurable):
         """
         return self.file_exists(path) or self.dir_exists(path)
 
-    def get_model(self, path, content=True, type_=None, format=None):
+    def get(self, path, content=True, type_=None, format=None):
         """Get the model of a file or directory with or without content."""
         raise NotImplementedError('must be implemented in a subclass')
 
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ class ContentsManager(LoggingConfigurable):
             from_dir = ''
             from_name = path
         
-        model = self.get_model(path)
+        model = self.get(path)
         model.pop('path', None)
         model.pop('name', None)
         if model['type'] == 'directory':
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ class ContentsManager(LoggingConfigurable):
         path : string
             The path of a notebook
         """
-        model = self.get_model(path)
+        model = self.get(path)
         nb = model['content']
         self.log.warn("Trusting notebook %s", path)
         self.notary.mark_cells(nb, True)
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/contents/tests/test_manager.py b/IPython/html/services/contents/tests/test_manager.py
index baec02778..be784996a 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/contents/tests/test_manager.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/contents/tests/test_manager.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         name = model['name']
         path = model['path']
 
-        full_model = cm.get_model(path)
+        full_model = cm.get(path)
         nb = full_model['content']
         self.add_code_cell(nb)
 
@@ -152,27 +152,27 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         path = model['path']
 
         # Check that we 'get' on the notebook we just created
-        model2 = cm.get_model(path)
+        model2 = cm.get(path)
         assert isinstance(model2, dict)
         self.assertIn('name', model2)
         self.assertIn('path', model2)
         self.assertEqual(model['name'], name)
         self.assertEqual(model['path'], path)
 
-        nb_as_file = cm.get_model(path, content=True, type_='file')
+        nb_as_file = cm.get(path, content=True, type_='file')
         self.assertEqual(nb_as_file['path'], path)
         self.assertEqual(nb_as_file['type'], 'file')
         self.assertEqual(nb_as_file['format'], 'text')
         self.assertNotIsInstance(nb_as_file['content'], dict)
 
-        nb_as_bin_file = cm.get_model(path, content=True, type_='file', format='base64')
+        nb_as_bin_file = cm.get(path, content=True, type_='file', format='base64')
         self.assertEqual(nb_as_bin_file['format'], 'base64')
 
         # Test in sub-directory
         sub_dir = '/foo/'
         self.make_dir(cm.root_dir, 'foo')
         model = cm.new_untitled(path=sub_dir, ext='.ipynb')
-        model2 = cm.get_model(sub_dir + name)
+        model2 = cm.get(sub_dir + name)
         assert isinstance(model2, dict)
         self.assertIn('name', model2)
         self.assertIn('path', model2)
@@ -181,11 +181,11 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(model2['path'], '{0}/{1}'.format(sub_dir.strip('/'), name))
 
         # Test getting directory model
-        dirmodel = cm.get_model('foo')
+        dirmodel = cm.get('foo')
         self.assertEqual(dirmodel['type'], 'directory')
 
         with self.assertRaises(HTTPError):
-            cm.get_model('foo', type_='file')
+            cm.get('foo', type_='file')
 
     
     @dec.skip_win32
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         
         # create a broken symlink
         os.symlink("target", os.path.join(os_path, "bad symlink"))
-        model = cm.get_model(path)
+        model = cm.get(path)
         self.assertEqual(model['content'], [file_model])
     
     @dec.skip_win32
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         
         # create a good symlink
         os.symlink(file_model['name'], os.path.join(os_path, name))
-        symlink_model = cm.get_model(path, content=False)
-        dir_model = cm.get_model(parent)
+        symlink_model = cm.get(path, content=False)
+        dir_model = cm.get(parent)
         self.assertEqual(
             sorted(dir_model['content'], key=lambda x: x['name']),
             [symlink_model, file_model],
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(model['name'], 'test.ipynb')
 
         # Make sure the old name is gone
-        self.assertRaises(HTTPError, cm.get_model, path)
+        self.assertRaises(HTTPError, cm.get, path)
 
         # Test in sub-directory
         # Create a directory and notebook in that directory
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(model['path'], new_path)
 
         # Make sure the old name is gone
-        self.assertRaises(HTTPError, cm.get_model, path)
+        self.assertRaises(HTTPError, cm.get, path)
 
     def test_save(self):
         cm = self.contents_manager
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         path = model['path']
 
         # Get the model with 'content'
-        full_model = cm.get_model(path)
+        full_model = cm.get(path)
 
         # Save the notebook
         model = cm.save(full_model, path)
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         model = cm.new_untitled(path=sub_dir, type='notebook')
         name = model['name']
         path = model['path']
-        model = cm.get_model(path)
+        model = cm.get(path)
 
         # Change the name in the model for rename
         model = cm.save(model, path)
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         cm.delete(path)
 
         # Check that a 'get' on the deleted notebook raises and error
-        self.assertRaises(HTTPError, cm.get_model, path)
+        self.assertRaises(HTTPError, cm.get, path)
 
     def test_copy(self):
         cm = self.contents_manager
@@ -326,12 +326,12 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         cm = self.contents_manager
         nb, name, path = self.new_notebook()
 
-        untrusted = cm.get_model(path)['content']
+        untrusted = cm.get(path)['content']
         assert not cm.notary.check_cells(untrusted)
 
         # print(untrusted)
         cm.trust_notebook(path)
-        trusted = cm.get_model(path)['content']
+        trusted = cm.get(path)['content']
         # print(trusted)
         assert cm.notary.check_cells(trusted)
 
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
                 assert not cell.metadata.trusted
 
         cm.trust_notebook(path)
-        nb = cm.get_model(path)['content']
+        nb = cm.get(path)['content']
         for cell in nb.cells:
             if cell.cell_type == 'code':
                 assert cell.metadata.trusted
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ class TestContentsManager(TestCase):
         assert not cm.notary.check_signature(nb)
 
         cm.trust_notebook(path)
-        nb = cm.get_model(path)['content']
+        nb = cm.get(path)['content']
         cm.mark_trusted_cells(nb, path)
         cm.check_and_sign(nb, path)
         assert cm.notary.check_signature(nb)
diff --git a/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py b/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
index 45401b114..9bd3d95bd 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/html/tree/handlers.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class TreeHandler(IPythonHandler):
         cm = self.contents_manager
         if cm.file_exists(path):
             # it's not a directory, we have redirecting to do
-            model = cm.get_model(path, content=False)
+            model = cm.get(path, content=False)
             # redirect to /api/notebooks if it's a notebook, otherwise /api/files
             service = 'notebooks' if model['type'] == 'notebook' else 'files'
             url = url_escape(url_path_join(