diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c94e457402c..39f0be92ef0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 # Find and learn about the C compiler.
 AC_PROG_CC
 
+# Find and learn about the Fortran compiler.
+AC_PROG_FC
+
 # Libtool initialisation.
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 
@@ -111,6 +114,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 AC_OUTPUT(Makefile
           src/Makefile
           src/clib/Makefile
+          src/flib/Makefile
           tests/Makefile
           tests/cunit/Makefile
           examples/Makefile
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 82d1b94a386..6007c92c2f8 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -2,4 +2,9 @@
 
 # Ed Hartnett
 
-SUBDIRS = clib
+# Does the user want to build fortran?
+if BUILD_FORTRAN
+FLIB = flib
+endif
+
+SUBDIRS = clib $(FLIB)
diff --git a/src/flib/Makefile.am b/src/flib/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3e9b5fe50c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/flib/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+## This is the automake file to build the PIO Fortran library.
+# Ed Hartnett 3/19/19
+
+# The library we are building.
+#lib_LTLIBRARIES = libpiof.la
+
+# These linker flags specify libtool version info.
+# See http://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/manual/libtool.html#Libtool-versioning
+# for information regarding incrementing `-version-info`.
+#libpiof_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 1:0:0
+
+# The library soure files.
+#libpiof_la_SOURCES = pio.F90
+
+# Build this uninstalled convenience library.
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libpio_kinds.la
+
+# The convenience library depends on its source.
+libpio_kinds_la_SOURCES = pio_kinds.F90
+
+# Mod file depends on its o file, is built and then installed.
+pio_kinds.mod: pio_kinds.$(OBJEXT)
+BUILT_SOURCES = pio_kinds.mod
+include_HEADERS = pio_kinds.mod
+
+CLEANFILES = *.mod