diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/pom.xml b/hyracks-storage-am-common/pom.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5271eae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/pom.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+  <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+  <groupId>edu.uci.ics.hyracks</groupId>
+  <artifactId>hyracks-storage-am-common</artifactId>
+  <version>0.1.4</version>
+
+  <parent>
+    <groupId>edu.uci.ics.hyracks</groupId>
+    <artifactId>hyracks</artifactId>
+    <version>0.1.4</version>
+  </parent>
+
+  <build>
+    <plugins>
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>2.0.2</version>
+        <configuration>
+          <source>1.6</source>
+          <target>1.6</target>
+        </configuration>
+      </plugin>
+    </plugins>
+  </build>
+  <dependencies>
+  	<dependency>
+  		<groupId>edu.uci.ics.hyracks</groupId>
+  		<artifactId>hyracks-api</artifactId>
+  		<version>0.1.4</version>
+  		<type>jar</type>
+  		<scope>compile</scope>
+  	</dependency>
+  	<dependency>
+  		<groupId>edu.uci.ics.hyracks</groupId>
+  		<artifactId>hyracks-storage-common</artifactId>
+  		<version>0.1.4</version>
+  		<type>jar</type>
+  		<scope>compile</scope>
+  	</dependency>
+  </dependencies>
+</project>
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IFreePageManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IFreePageManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c2bcfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IFreePageManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
+
+public interface IFreePageManager {
+	public int getFreePage(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame) throws HyracksDataException;
+	public void addFreePage(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame, int freePage) throws HyracksDataException;
+	public int getMaxPage(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame) throws HyracksDataException;
+	public void init(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame, int currentMaxPage) throws HyracksDataException;
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bbd03d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame.java
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2010 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
+
+public interface ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame {
+    public void initBuffer(int level);
+
+    public void setPage(ICachedPage page);
+
+    public ICachedPage getPage();
+
+    public byte getLevel();
+
+    public void setLevel(byte level);
+
+    public int getNextPage();
+
+    public void setNextPage(int nextPage);
+
+    public int getMaxPage();
+
+    public void setMaxPage(int maxPage);
+
+    public int getFreePage();
+
+    public boolean hasSpace();
+
+    public void addFreePage(int freePage);
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c05637
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2010 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api;
+
+
+public interface ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory {
+    public ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame getFrame();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/LIFOMetaDataFrame.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/LIFOMetaDataFrame.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..759efc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/LIFOMetaDataFrame.java
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2010 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames;
+
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
+
+// all meta pages of this kind have a negative level
+// the first meta page has level -1, all other meta pages have level -2
+// the first meta page is special because it guarantees to have a correct max page
+// other meta pages (i.e., with level -2) have junk in the max page field
+
+public class LIFOMetaDataFrame implements ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame {
+
+    protected static final int tupleCountOff = 0;
+    protected static final int freeSpaceOff = tupleCountOff + 4;
+    protected static final int maxPageOff = freeSpaceOff + 4;
+    protected static final byte levelOff = maxPageOff + 1;
+    protected static final byte nextPageOff = maxPageOff + 8;
+
+    protected ICachedPage page = null;
+    protected ByteBuffer buf = null;
+
+    public int getMaxPage() {
+        return buf.getInt(maxPageOff);
+    }
+
+    public void setMaxPage(int maxPage) {
+        buf.putInt(maxPageOff, maxPage);
+    }
+
+    public int getFreePage() {
+        int tupleCount = buf.getInt(tupleCountOff);
+        if (tupleCount > 0) {
+            // return the last page from the linked list of free pages
+            // TODO: this is a dumb policy, but good enough for now
+            int lastPageOff = buf.getInt(freeSpaceOff) - 4;
+            buf.putInt(freeSpaceOff, lastPageOff);
+            buf.putInt(tupleCountOff, tupleCount - 1);
+            return buf.getInt(lastPageOff);
+        } else {
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // must be checked before adding free page
+    // user of this class is responsible for getting a free page as a new meta
+    // page, latching it, etc. if there is no space on this page
+    public boolean hasSpace() {
+        return buf.getInt(freeSpaceOff) + 4 < buf.capacity();
+    }
+
+    // on bounds checking is done, there must be free space
+    public void addFreePage(int freePage) {
+        int freeSpace = buf.getInt(freeSpaceOff);
+        buf.putInt(freeSpace, freePage);
+        buf.putInt(freeSpaceOff, freeSpace + 4);
+        buf.putInt(tupleCountOff, buf.getInt(tupleCountOff) + 1);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public byte getLevel() {
+        return buf.get(levelOff);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setLevel(byte level) {
+        buf.put(levelOff, level);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ICachedPage getPage() {
+        return page;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setPage(ICachedPage page) {
+        this.page = page;
+        this.buf = page.getBuffer();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void initBuffer(int level) {
+        buf.putInt(freeSpaceOff, nextPageOff + 4);
+        buf.putInt(tupleCountOff, 0);
+        buf.putInt(levelOff, level);
+        buf.putInt(nextPageOff, -1);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int getNextPage() {
+        return buf.getInt(nextPageOff);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setNextPage(int nextPage) {
+        buf.putInt(nextPageOff, nextPage);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb56987
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/frames/LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2010 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.frames;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory;
+
+public class LIFOMetaDataFrameFactory implements ITreeIndexMetaDataFrameFactory {
+    @Override
+    public ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame getFrame() {
+        return new LIFOMetaDataFrame();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/freepage/LinkedListFreePageManager.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/freepage/LinkedListFreePageManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..286acda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/freepage/LinkedListFreePageManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.freepage;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IFreePageManager;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.IBufferCache;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.buffercache.ICachedPage;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.common.file.BufferedFileHandle;
+
+public class LinkedListFreePageManager implements IFreePageManager {
+
+	private final IBufferCache bufferCache;
+	private final int fileId;
+	private final int headPage;
+
+	public LinkedListFreePageManager(IBufferCache bufferCache, int fileId,
+			int headPage) {
+		this.bufferCache = bufferCache;
+		this.fileId = fileId;
+		this.headPage = headPage;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void addFreePage(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame, int freePage)
+			throws HyracksDataException {
+
+		ICachedPage metaNode = bufferCache.pin(BufferedFileHandle
+				.getDiskPageId(fileId, headPage), false);
+		metaNode.acquireWriteLatch();
+
+		try {
+			metaFrame.setPage(metaNode);
+
+			if (metaFrame.hasSpace()) {
+				metaFrame.addFreePage(freePage);
+			} else {
+				// allocate a new page in the chain of meta pages
+				int newPage = metaFrame.getFreePage();
+				if (newPage < 0) {
+					throw new Exception(
+							"Inconsistent Meta Page State. It has no space, but it also has no entries.");
+				}
+
+				ICachedPage newNode = bufferCache.pin(BufferedFileHandle
+						.getDiskPageId(fileId, newPage), false);
+				newNode.acquireWriteLatch();
+
+				try {
+					int metaMaxPage = metaFrame.getMaxPage();
+
+					// copy metaDataPage to newNode
+					System.arraycopy(metaNode.getBuffer().array(), 0, newNode
+							.getBuffer().array(), 0, metaNode.getBuffer()
+							.capacity());
+
+					metaFrame.initBuffer(-1);
+					metaFrame.setNextPage(newPage);
+					metaFrame.setMaxPage(metaMaxPage);
+					metaFrame.addFreePage(freePage);
+				} finally {
+					newNode.releaseWriteLatch();
+					bufferCache.unpin(newNode);
+				}
+			}
+		} catch (Exception e) {
+			e.printStackTrace();
+		} finally {
+			metaNode.releaseWriteLatch();
+			bufferCache.unpin(metaNode);
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public int getFreePage(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame)
+			throws HyracksDataException {
+		ICachedPage metaNode = bufferCache.pin(BufferedFileHandle
+				.getDiskPageId(fileId, headPage), false);
+
+		metaNode.acquireWriteLatch();
+
+		int freePage = -1;
+		try {
+			metaFrame.setPage(metaNode);
+			freePage = metaFrame.getFreePage();
+			if (freePage < 0) { // no free page entry on this page
+				int nextPage = metaFrame.getNextPage();
+				if (nextPage > 0) { // sibling may have free pages
+					ICachedPage nextNode = bufferCache.pin(BufferedFileHandle
+							.getDiskPageId(fileId, nextPage), false);
+
+					nextNode.acquireWriteLatch();
+					// we copy over the free space entries of nextpage into the
+					// first meta page (metaDataPage)
+					// we need to link the first page properly to the next page
+					// of nextpage
+					try {
+						// remember entries that remain unchanged
+						int maxPage = metaFrame.getMaxPage();
+
+						// copy entire page (including sibling pointer, free
+						// page entries, and all other info)
+						// after this copy nextPage is considered a free page
+						System.arraycopy(nextNode.getBuffer().array(), 0,
+								metaNode.getBuffer().array(), 0, nextNode
+										.getBuffer().capacity());
+
+						// reset unchanged entry
+						metaFrame.setMaxPage(maxPage);
+
+						freePage = metaFrame.getFreePage();
+						// sibling also has no free pages, this "should" not
+						// happen, but we deal with it anyway just to be safe
+						if (freePage < 0) {
+							freePage = nextPage;
+						} else {
+							metaFrame.addFreePage(nextPage);
+						}
+					} finally {
+						nextNode.releaseWriteLatch();
+						bufferCache.unpin(nextNode);
+					}
+				} else {
+					freePage = metaFrame.getMaxPage();
+					freePage++;
+					metaFrame.setMaxPage(freePage);
+				}
+			}
+		} finally {
+			metaNode.releaseWriteLatch();
+			bufferCache.unpin(metaNode);
+		}
+
+		return freePage;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public int getMaxPage(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame)
+			throws HyracksDataException {
+		ICachedPage metaNode = bufferCache.pin(BufferedFileHandle
+				.getDiskPageId(fileId, headPage), false);
+		metaNode.acquireWriteLatch();
+		int maxPage = -1;
+		try {
+			metaFrame.setPage(metaNode);
+			maxPage = metaFrame.getMaxPage();
+		} finally {
+			metaNode.releaseWriteLatch();
+			bufferCache.unpin(metaNode);
+		}
+		return maxPage;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void init(ITreeIndexMetaDataFrame metaFrame, int currentMaxPage)
+			throws HyracksDataException {
+		// initialize meta data page
+		ICachedPage metaNode = bufferCache.pin(BufferedFileHandle
+				.getDiskPageId(fileId, headPage), false);
+
+		metaNode.acquireWriteLatch();
+		try {
+			metaFrame.setPage(metaNode);
+			metaFrame.initBuffer((byte) -1);
+			metaFrame.setMaxPage(currentMaxPage);
+		} finally {
+			metaNode.releaseWriteLatch();
+			bufferCache.unpin(metaNode);
+		}
+	}
+
+}