diff --git a/C/sysbits.c b/C/sysbits.c
index f5d36d123..fd1443da5 100644
--- a/C/sysbits.c
+++ b/C/sysbits.c
@@ -245,6 +245,27 @@ initSysPath(Term tlib, Term tcommons, bool dir_done, bool commons_done) {
   CACHE_REGS
     int len;
 
+#if __WINDOWS__
+  {
+    char *dir;
+    if ((dir = Yap_RegistryGetString("library")) &&
+        is_directory(dir)) {
+      if (! Yap_unify( tlib,
+                       MkAtomTerm(Yap_LookupAtom(dir))) )
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+    dir_done = true;
+    if ((dir = Yap_RegistryGetString("prolog_commons")) &&
+        is_directory(dir)) {
+      if (! Yap_unify( tcommons,
+                       MkAtomTerm(Yap_LookupAtom(dir))) )
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+    commons_done = true;
+  }
+  if (dir_done && commons_done)
+    return TRUE;
+#endif
   strncpy(LOCAL_FileNameBuf, YAP_SHAREDIR, YAP_FILENAME_MAX);
   strncat(LOCAL_FileNameBuf,"/", YAP_FILENAME_MAX);
   len = strlen(LOCAL_FileNameBuf);
@@ -273,25 +294,6 @@ initSysPath(Term tlib, Term tcommons, bool dir_done, bool commons_done) {
     return TRUE;
 
 #if __WINDOWS__
-  {
-    char *dir;
-    if ((dir = Yap_RegistryGetString("library")) &&
-        is_directory(dir)) {
-      if (! Yap_unify( tlib,
-                       MkAtomTerm(Yap_LookupAtom(dir))) )
-        return FALSE;
-    }
-    dir_done = true;
-    if ((dir = Yap_RegistryGetString("prolog_commons")) &&
-        is_directory(dir)) {
-      if (! Yap_unify( tcommons,
-                       MkAtomTerm(Yap_LookupAtom(dir))) )
-        return FALSE;
-    }
-    commons_done = true;
-  }
-  if (dir_done && commons_done)
-    return TRUE;
   {
     size_t buflen;
     char *pt;
@@ -2528,7 +2530,7 @@ p_virtual_alarm( USES_REGS1 )
     Yap_Error(INSTANTIATION_ERROR, t, "alarm/2");
     return(FALSE);
   }
-  if (!IsIntegerTerm(t)) {
+  if (!IsIntegerTerm(t)) { 
     Yap_Error(TYPE_ERROR_INTEGER, t, "alarm/2");
     return(FALSE);
   }
@@ -3096,7 +3098,7 @@ Yap_InitSysPreds(void)
   Yap_InitCPred ("$yap_home", 1, p_yap_home, SafePredFlag);
   Yap_InitCPred ("$yap_paths", 3, p_yap_paths, SafePredFlag);
   Yap_InitCPred ("$dir_separator", 1, p_dir_sp, SafePredFlag);
-  Yap_InitCPred ("libraries_directory", 2, p_libraries_path, 0);
+  Yap_InitCPred ("libraries_directories",2, p_libraries_path, 0);
   Yap_InitCPred ("system_library", 1, p_library_dir, 0);
   Yap_InitCPred ("commons_library", 1, p_commons_dir, 0);
   Yap_InitCPred ("$alarm", 4, p_alarm, SafePredFlag|SyncPredFlag);
diff --git a/pl/absf.yap b/pl/absf.yap
index 1ffe997e2..be36b68a9 100755
--- a/pl/absf.yap
+++ b/pl/absf.yap
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*************************************************************************
 *									 *
-*	 YAP Prolog 							 *
+  *	 YAP Prolog 							 *
 *									 *
 *	Yap Prolog was developed at NCCUP - Universidade do Porto	 *
 *									 *
@@ -112,10 +112,10 @@ swapped, making the call
   valid as well.
 */
 
-absolute_file_name(File,TrueFileName,Opts) :- 
+absolute_file_name(File,TrueFileName,Opts) :-
     ( var(TrueFileName) ->
 	  true ;
-      atom(TrueFileName), TrueFileName \= [] 
+      atom(TrueFileName), TrueFileName \= []
     ), !,
     absolute_file_name(File,Opts,TrueFileName).
 absolute_file_name(File,Opts,TrueFileName) :-
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ absolute_file_name(File0,File) :-
 	atom_concat([Path,File],PFile).
 
 '$system_library_directories'(library, Dir) :-
-	library_directory( Dir ).
+	user:library_directory( Dir ).
 %	'$split_by_sep'(0, 0, Dirs, Dir).
 '$system_library_directories'(foreign, Dir) :-
 	foreign_directory( Dir ).
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ absolute_file_name(File0,File) :-
 	commons_directory( Dir ).
 
 
+
 '$split_by_sep'(Start, Next, Dirs, Dir) :-
     '$swi_current_prolog_flag'(windows, true),
     '$split_by_sep'(Start, Next, Dirs, ';', Dir), !.
@@ -499,15 +500,30 @@ remove_from_path(New) :- '$check_path'(New,Path),
   reconsult/1, use_module/1, ensure_loaded/1, and load_files/2.
 
   This directory is initialized s a rule that calls  the system predicate
-  library_directories/2.
+  system_library/1.
 */
 
 :- multifile user:library_directory/1.
 
 :- dynamic user:library_directory/1.
 
-user:library_directory( Path ):-
-    system_library( Path ).
+%% user:library_directory( ?Dir )
+                                %  Specifies the set of directories where
+                                % one can find Prolog libraries.
+                                %
+                                % 1. honor YAPSHAREDIR
+user:library_directory( Dir ) :-
+        getenv( 'YAPSHAREDIR', Dir0),
+        absolute_file_name( Dir0, [file_type(directory), expand(true)], Dir ).
+%% 2. honor user-library
+user:library_directory( Dir ) :-
+        absolute_file_name( '~/share/Yap', [file_type(directory), expand(true)], Dir ).
+%% 3. honor current directory
+user:library_directory( Dir ) :-
+        absolute_file_name( '.', [file_type(directory), expand(true)], Dir ).
+%% 4. honor default location.
+user:library_directory( Dir ) :-
+	system_library( Dir ).
 
 /**
   @pred user:commons_directory(? _Directory_:atom) is nondet, dynamic
@@ -645,4 +661,3 @@ user:file_search_path(path, C) :-
 	),
 	lists:member(C, B)
     ).
-