This paper presents the composition of a planar mechanical library for the simulation tool AMESim. This library is composed of 5 body components: one fixed to the frame of reference and the four others corresponding to moving bodies with one to four connecting ports. These body components may be connected to any of the joint components defined in the library. There are four basic joint components for: (1) a translational joint, (2) a revolute joint, (3) a double translational joint, (4) a double translational-revolute joint. Actuated versions of the translational and revolute joints are also available. Two more joint components are also defined for coupling perpendicular motion planes. Finally four more specific components enable a linear actuator in planar motion, a spring-damper, a one dimension to two dimensions coupling and a given action to be modeled. The use of this planar mechanical library is illustrated using the example of a seven-body mechanism. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.