diff -u src/Python-2.7.11/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py
--- src/Python-2.7.11/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py	2015-12-05 19:46:56 +0000
+++ python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py	2016-05-10 17:53:12 +0000
@@ -355,6 +355,25 @@
             flags |= _FUNCFLAG_USE_ERRNO
         if use_last_error:
             flags |= _FUNCFLAG_USE_LASTERROR
+        if _sys.platform.startswith("aix"):
+            # adding RTLD_NOW is already 'forced' in Modules/_ctypes/callproc.c
+            # left here (as a comment) to remind it is required by AIX
+            from _ctypes import RTLD_NOW
+            mode |= RTLD_NOW
+            # If name already ends with the char ')' then find_library pre-processing is assummed
+            # while name may  be NULL (to open PyDLL) need to verify it is non-null
+            # before doing any string operations
+            if name and not name.endswith(")"):
+                import ctypes.aixutil as aix
+                name = aix.find_library(name)
+                if name:
+                    self._name = name
+            # If name ends with the char ')' then make sure it has RTLD_MEMBER in mode
+            # this is a seperate test because find_library may have been called before CDLL
+            if name and name.endswith(")"):
+                from _ctypes import RTLD_MEMBER
+                # RTLD_MEMBER = 0x00040000
+                mode |= RTLD_MEMBER
 
         class _FuncPtr(_CFuncPtr):
             _flags_ = flags
Only in python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes: __init__.py.orig
Only in python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes: aixutil.py
Common subdirectories: src/Python-2.7.11/Lib/ctypes/macholib and python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes/macholib
Common subdirectories: src/Python-2.7.11/Lib/ctypes/test and python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes/test
diff -u src/Python-2.7.11/Lib/ctypes/util.py python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes/util.py
--- src/Python-2.7.11/Lib/ctypes/util.py	2015-12-05 19:46:56 +0000
+++ python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes/util.py	2016-05-10 17:59:56 +0000
@@ -71,7 +71,16 @@
     def find_library(name):
         return name
 
-if os.name == "posix" and sys.platform == "darwin":
+if sys.platform.startswith("aix"):
+    # find .so members in .a files
+    # using dump loader header information + sys.
+    import ctypes.aixutil as aix
+
+    def find_library(name):
+        # print ("aix.find: ", name)
+        return aix.find_library(name)
+
+elif os.name == "posix" and sys.platform == "darwin":
     from ctypes.macholib.dyld import dyld_find as _dyld_find
     def find_library(name):
         possible = ['lib%s.dylib' % name,
@@ -256,6 +265,13 @@
         print find_library("m")
         print find_library("c")
         print find_library("bz2")
+        if sys.platform.startswith("aix"):
+            # examples of working with AIX and versions, when available
+            print("aix.find_library(\"libiconv.so\")", find_library("libiconv.so"))
+            print("aix.find_library(\"libintl.so\")", find_library("libintl.so"))
+            print("aix.find_library(\"libintl.so.1\")", find_library("libintl.so.1"))
+            print("aix.find_library(\"libintl.so.2\")", find_library("libintl.so.2"), ":: should be None!")
+            print("aix.find_library(\"libintl.so.8\")", find_library("libintl.so.8"))
 
         # getattr
 ##        print cdll.m
@@ -268,7 +284,17 @@
             print cdll.LoadLibrary("libSystem.dylib")
             print cdll.LoadLibrary("System.framework/System")
         else:
-            print cdll.LoadLibrary("libm.so")
+            if sys.platform.startswith("aix"):
+                # libm does not exist as a shared library on AIX, so it fails here
+                # while test/test_loading.py captures the error correctly
+                # the test here did not, so calling for libc.so instead
+                print(cdll.LoadLibrary("libc.so"))
+                # This test is because libintl may still be only version .1
+                # However, it may be version .8 - the latest of the two is returned
+                # See find_library() exambles above
+                print(cdll.LoadLibrary("libintl.so"))
+            else:
+                print(cdll.LoadLibrary("libm.so"))
             print cdll.LoadLibrary("libcrypt.so")
             print find_library("crypt")
 
Only in python-2.7.11.4/Lib/ctypes: util.py.orig