--- a/java/gov/lbl/fastbit/FastBit.java	2017-09-19 16:01:19.996924503 -0400
+++ b/java/gov/lbl/fastbit/FastBit.java	2017-09-19 16:26:50.422027222 -0400
@@ -184,8 +184,52 @@
      */
     protected void finalize() {cleanup();}
 
-    static { // load the native FastBit library.	 
-	System.loadLibrary("fastbitjni");	 
+
+    // Helper to load shared library.
+    static boolean tryLoad(String filename) {
+	try {
+		System.load(filename);
+	} catch (Exception e) {
+		return false;
+	} catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError e) {
+		return false;
+	}
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    // Load the native FastBit library.
+    static {
+	boolean mNativeLibrariesLoaded = false;
+	String os = System.getProperty("os.name");
+	if ((os.equals("Linux"))) {
+		// Check for 64-bit library availability
+		// prior to 32-bit library availability.
+		mNativeLibrariesLoaded =
+			tryLoad("/usr/lib64/fastbit/libfastbitjni.so");
+		if (mNativeLibrariesLoaded) {
+			System.out.println("64-bit fastbit library loaded");
+		} else {
+			// REMINDER:  May be trying to run a 32-bit app
+			//            on 64-bit platform.
+			mNativeLibrariesLoaded =
+				tryLoad("/usr/lib/fastbit/libfastbitjni.so");
+			if (mNativeLibrariesLoaded) {
+				System.out.println("32-bit fastbit library loaded");
+			} else {
+				System.out.println("FAILED loading fastbit library");
+				System.exit(-1);
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		try {
+			System.loadLibrary("fastbitjni");
+			System.out.println("fastbit library loaded");
+			mNativeLibrariesLoaded = true;
+		} catch (Throwable t) {
+			// This is bad news, the program is doomed at this point
+			t.printStackTrace();
+		}
+	}
     }
 } // class FastBit
 /// @}