diff --git a/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C b/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C
index cc90da3db1..155fcea58d 100644
--- a/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C
+++ b/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2004-2010 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2004-2011 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ Description
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <netdb.h>
+#include <dlfcn.h>
 
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 
@@ -164,6 +165,12 @@ Foam::word Foam::userName()
 }
 
 
+bool Foam::isAdministrator()
+{
+    return (geteuid() == 0);
+}
+
+
 // use $HOME environment variable or passwd info
 Foam::fileName Foam::home()
 {
@@ -240,7 +247,7 @@ Foam::fileName Foam::cwd()
 
 bool Foam::chDir(const fileName& dir)
 {
-    return chdir(dir.c_str()) != 0;
+    return chdir(dir.c_str()) == 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -1065,4 +1072,31 @@ int Foam::system(const string& command)
 }
 
 
+void* Foam::dlOpen(const fileName& lib)
+{
+    return dlopen(lib.c_str(), RTLD_LAZY|RTLD_GLOBAL);
+}
+
+
+bool Foam::dlClose(void* handle)
+{
+    return dlclose(handle) == 0;
+}
+
+
+void* Foam::dlSym(void* handle, const string& symbol)
+{
+    void* fun = dlsym(handle, symbol.c_str());
+
+    char *error;
+    if ((error = dlerror()) != NULL)
+    {
+        WarningIn("dlSym(void*, const string&)")
+            << "Cannot lookup symbol " << symbol << " : " << error
+            << endl;
+    }
+    return fun;
+}
+
+
 // ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.C
index a0fe132aaf..c98ba120a4 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.C
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2004-2010 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2004-2011 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ License
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 #include "dlLibraryTable.H"
-
-#include <dlfcn.h>
+#include "OSspecific.H"
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Static Data Members * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ Foam::dlLibraryTable::~dlLibraryTable()
 {
     forAllConstIter(dlLibraryTable, *this, iter)
     {
-        dlclose(iter.key());
+        dlClose(iter.key());
     }
 }
 
@@ -67,15 +66,14 @@ bool Foam::dlLibraryTable::open(const fileName& functionLibName)
 {
     if (functionLibName.size())
     {
-        void* functionLibPtr =
-            dlopen(functionLibName.c_str(), RTLD_LAZY|RTLD_GLOBAL);
+        void* functionLibPtr = dlOpen(functionLibName);
 
         if (!functionLibPtr)
         {
             WarningIn
             (
                 "dlLibraryTable::open(const fileName& functionLibName)"
-            )   << "could not load " << dlerror()
+            )   << "could not load " << functionLibName
                 << endl;
 
             return false;
@@ -99,6 +97,43 @@ bool Foam::dlLibraryTable::open(const fileName& functionLibName)
 }
 
 
+bool Foam::dlLibraryTable::close(const fileName& functionLibName)
+{
+    void* libPtr = findLibrary(functionLibName);
+    if (libPtr)
+    {
+        loadedLibraries.erase(libPtr);
+
+        if (!dlClose(libPtr))
+        {
+            WarningIn
+            (
+                "dlLibraryTable::close(const fileName& functionLibName)"
+            )   << "could not close " << functionLibName
+                << endl;
+
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+
+void* Foam::dlLibraryTable::findLibrary(const fileName& functionLibName)
+{
+    forAllConstIter(dlLibraryTable, loadedLibraries, iter)
+    {
+        if (iter() == functionLibName)
+        {
+            return iter.key();
+        }
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
 bool Foam::dlLibraryTable::open
 (
     const dictionary& dict,
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.H
index 7b19a32d1d..1b64897dd0 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dlLibraryTable/dlLibraryTable.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2004-2010 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2004-2011 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ public:
         //- Open the named library
         static bool open(const fileName& name);
 
+        //- Close the named library
+        static bool close(const fileName& name);
+
+        //- Find the handle of the named library
+        static void* findLibrary(const fileName& name);
+
         //- Open all the libraries listed in the 'libsEntry' entry in the
         //  given dictionary if present
         static bool open(const dictionary&, const word& libsEntry);
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H b/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
index 1c825984fa..7ad1bec12b 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ word domainName();
 //- Return the user's login name
 word userName();
 
+//- Is user administrator
+bool isAdministrator();
+
 //- Return home directory path name for the current user
 fileName home();
 
@@ -181,6 +184,16 @@ bool ping(const word&, const label timeOut=10);
 //- Execute the specified command
 int system(const string& command);
 
+//- open a shared library. Return handle to library
+void* dlOpen(const fileName& lib);
+
+//- Close a dlopened library using handle. Return true if successful
+bool dlClose(void*);
+
+//- Lookup a symbol in a dlopened library using handle
+void* dlSym(void* handle, const string& symbol);
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 } // End namespace Foam