libtool - building both 32 and 64-bit members for archives in one "pass"

[Michael Felt]

L.S.,

If I understand the documentation correctly libtool places non-shareable 
members (.o files) in the src directory
and "shareable aka PIC objects in src/.libs". However, libtool makes 
only one size of objects - either 32-bit or 64-bit.

As "aixtools" I am trying to package (common) opensource projects - and 
mainly I have done so as as 32-bit only and was not bothered by the lack
of 64-bit build issues. Recently there are packages that may only work 
well in 64-bit mode (e.g., R language) and I have started to package
in 64-bit as well.

As part of my research I see that Linux distros seem to use 
.../lib/libsomething* and .../lib64/libsomething* for 32 and 64-bit 
(respectively) library
packaging. The AIX convention - as you may, or may not know, is not to 
have multiple .so files in two directories but to have one 
.../lib/libsomething.a
with multiple members as static and/or shareable objects. The same 
object name may be used multiple times, although the legacy convention is to
use shr.o as a shared object of multiple .o members and shr64.o for the 
same .o files - but compiled in 64-bit mode).

I am wondering - and willing to work on - with assistence - an addition 
to the .lo target such that both 32 and 64 bit (shared) objects are made
for inclusion in a single .a archive - to be compareable with a library 
as it would be released by IBM AIX developers/labs.

So, question: who is willing to be a mentor to me so that I
a) make progress
b) do not make a total mess of the current state

as I would like what I do to be
a) acceptable
b) fit in the current model

regards,
Michael