diff --git a/makefile.shared b/makefile.shared
index 734506cc..f54ecb05 100644
--- a/makefile.shared
+++ b/makefile.shared
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 # Tom St Denis
 
 # The version
+# http://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/manual/html_node/Updating-version-info.html
 VERSION=0:117
+# http://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/manual/html_node/Release-numbers.html
+RELEASE=1.17
 
 # Compiler and Linker Names
 ifeq ($(CC),cc)
@@ -266,7 +269,7 @@ testprof/$(LIBTEST):
 	$(LTCOMPILE) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ -c $<
 
 $(LIBNAME): $(OBJECTS)
-	$(LT) --mode=link --tag=CC $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) `find ./src -type f -name "*.lo"` $(EXTRALIBS) -o $(LIBNAME) -rpath $(LIBPATH) -version-info $(VERSION)
+	$(LT) --mode=link --tag=CC $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) `find ./src -type f -name "*.lo"` $(EXTRALIBS) -o $(LIBNAME) -rpath $(LIBPATH) -version-info $(VERSION) -release $(RELEASE)
 
 install: $(LIBNAME)
 	install -d -g $(GROUP) -o $(USER) $(DESTDIR)$(LIBPATH)