diff --git a/src/basic_io.py b/src/basic_io.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..22e2068
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/basic_io.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+
+import shapefile
+
+def extract_polyline_from_shapefile(s):
+    """
+    :param s: shapefile.shape
+    returns: list of lon, list of lat
+    """
+    return [coord[0] for coord in s.points], [coord[1] for coord in s.points];
+
+
+def read_one_fault_from_shapefile(shape_file, fault_index):
+    """
+    A wrapper for extracting lon/lat from a fault in a shapefile.
+    One could also extract shapes = sf.shapes()
+    """
+    sf = shapefile.Reader(shape_file);
+    lonarray1, latarray1 = extract_polyline_from_shapefile(sf.shape(fault_index));
+    return lonarray1, latarray1;
diff --git a/src/bin/Projects/Brawley/brawley_io.py b/src/bin/Projects/Brawley/brawley_io.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..772425b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/Projects/Brawley/brawley_io.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+
+def get_file_dictionary(config_filename):
+    """GET FILE NAMES from Brawley file dictionary."""
+    this_dict = {};
+    print("Reading file %s " % config_filename);
+    ifile = open(config_filename);
+    for line in ifile:
+        data_type = line.split(':')[0];
+        total_data_files = line.split()[1];  # assuming one file per list entry
+        this_dict[data_type] = total_data_files;
+    ifile.close();
+    return this_dict;
diff --git a/src/bin/Projects/Brawley/compare_insar_lev.py b/src/bin/Projects/Brawley/compare_insar_lev.py
index aeae51e..5294076 100755
--- a/src/bin/Projects/Brawley/compare_insar_lev.py
+++ b/src/bin/Projects/Brawley/compare_insar_lev.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import sys
 from Geodesy_Modeling.src import general_utils, InSAR_1D_Object, Leveling_Object, UAVSAR
 from Tectonic_Utils.read_write import general_io
+from .brawley_io import get_file_dictionary
 
 
 def compute_difference_metrics_on_same_pixels(list1, list2):
@@ -35,19 +36,6 @@ def compute_difference_metrics_on_same_pixels(list1, list2):
     return misfit_metric, r2;
 
 
-def get_file_dictionary(config_filename):
-    """GET FILE NAMES"""
-    this_dict = {};
-    print("Reading file %s " % config_filename);
-    ifile = open(config_filename);
-    for line in ifile:
-        data_type = line.split(':')[0];
-        total_data_files = line.split()[1];  # assuming one file per list entry
-        this_dict[data_type] = total_data_files;
-    ifile.close();
-    return this_dict;
-
-
 def get_nearest_in_pixel_list(tuple_coord_list, target_lons, target_lats):
     """
     Get the nearest index (and neighbors) for each given coordinate.