diff --git a/src/lib/os/Makefile b/src/lib/os/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1196cf7119
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/os/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+# Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+# license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+O=6
+GC=$(O)g
+
+PKG=os.a
+
+OFILES=\
+	os.$O \
+	os_file.$O \
+
+
+install: $(PKG)
+	cp $(PKG) $(GOROOT)/pkg/$(PKG)
+
+$(PKG): $(OFILES)
+	$(O)ar grc $(PKG) $(OFILES)
+
+nuke:
+	rm -f *.$(O) *.a $(GOROOT)/pkg/$(PKG)
+
+clean:
+	rm -f *.$(O) *.a
+
+%.$O:	%.go
+	$(GC) $<
diff --git a/src/lib/os/os.go b/src/lib/os/os.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0759a09415
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/os/os.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Copyright 2009 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package os
+
+// Support routines for OS library
+
+export func StringToBytes(b *[]byte, s string) bool {
+	if len(s) >= len(b) {
+		return false
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < len(s); i++ {
+		b[i] = s[i]
+	}
+	b[len(s)] = '\000';	// not necessary - memory is zeroed - but be explicit
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/os/os_file.go b/src/lib/os/os_file.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8edb2d01c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/os/os_file.go
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package os
+
+import syscall "syscall"
+import os "os"
+
+export func Open(name string, mode int64, flags int64) (ret int64, errno int64) {
+	var buf [512]byte;
+	if !StringToBytes(&buf, name) {
+		return -1, syscall.ENAMETOOLONG
+	}
+	r, e := syscall.open(&buf[0], mode, flags);  // BUG: should be able to just return
+	return r, e
+}
+
+export func Close(fd int64) (ret int64, errno int64) {
+	r, e := syscall.close(fd);  // BUG: should be able to just return
+	return r, e
+}
+
+export func Read(fd int64, b *[]byte) (ret int64, errno int64) {
+	r, e := syscall.read(fd, &b[0], int64(len(b)));  // BUG: should be able to just return
+	return r, e
+}
+
+export func Write(fd int64, b *[]byte) (ret int64, errno int64) {
+	r, e := syscall.write(fd, &b[0], int64(len(b)));  // BUG: should be able to just return
+	return r, e
+}
+
+export func WriteString(fd int64, s string) (ret int64, errno int64) {
+	b := new([]byte, len(s)+1);
+	if !StringToBytes(b, s) {
+		return -1, syscall.EIO
+	}
+	r, e := syscall.write(fd, &b[0], int64(len(s)));  // BUG: should be able to just return
+	return r, e
+}
+