diff --git a/resources/jacket/template.xhtml b/resources/jacket/template.xhtml
index 413ca6419c..d71499a2d7 100644
--- a/resources/jacket/template.xhtml
+++ b/resources/jacket/template.xhtml
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
             	</tr>
                 <tr>
                     <!-- If you do not want the series number to be formatted using roman numerals
-                        change {series.roman} to {series} -->
+                        change {series.roman} to {series}. You can also access the raw series name and number
+                        using {series.name}, {series.number} or {series.roman_number} -->
                     <td  class="cbj_series" colspan="2">{series.roman}</td>
                 </tr>
             	<tr>
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/transforms/jacket.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/transforms/jacket.py
index 36a08a1266..2161f57ceb 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/transforms/jacket.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/transforms/jacket.py
@@ -169,13 +169,17 @@ class Series(unicode):
 
     def __new__(self, series, series_index):
         if series and series_index is not None:
-            roman = _('Number {1} of <em>{0}</em>').format(
+            roman = _('{1} of <em>{0}</em>').format(
                 escape(series), escape(fmt_sidx(series_index, use_roman=True)))
-            series = escape(series + ' [%s]'%fmt_sidx(series_index, use_roman=False))
+            combined = _('{1} of <em>{0}</em>').format(
+                escape(series), escape(fmt_sidx(series_index, use_roman=False)))
         else:
-            series = roman = escape(series or u'')
-        s = unicode.__new__(self, series)
+            combined = roman = escape(series or u'')
+        s = unicode.__new__(self, combined)
         s.roman = roman
+        s.name = escape(series or u'')
+        s.number = escape(fmt_sidx(series_index or 1.0, use_roman=False))
+        s.roman_number = escape(fmt_sidx(series_index or 1.0, use_roman=True))
         return s
 
 
@@ -252,12 +256,17 @@ def render_jacket(mi, output_profile,
                     searchable_tags=' '.join(escape(t)+'ttt' for t in tags.tags_list),
                     )
         for key in mi.custom_field_keys():
+            m = mi.get_user_metadata(key, False) or {}
             try:
                 display_name, val = mi.format_field_extended(key)[:2]
-                key = key.replace('#', '_')
-                args[key] = escape(val)
-                args[key+'_label'] = escape(display_name)
-            except:
+                dkey = key.replace('#', '_')
+                dt = m.get('datatype')
+                if dt == 'series':
+                    args[dkey] = Series(mi.get(key), mi.get(key + '_index'))
+                else:
+                    args[dkey] = escape(val)
+                args[dkey+'_label'] = escape(display_name)
+            except Exception:
                 # if the val (custom column contents) is None, don't add to args
                 pass