installing python library modules (general question)

[Julia Goolia]

Hi,

I'm sure this issue has been brought up a billion times... but I'm
having trouble installing a python module.  I have read all the
documentation for all the buzz words I know related to this problem
but to no avail.

Basically I downloaded a python module called pymad.  This module is
supposed to be simplified API to libmad (an mp3 decoder) (I want to
play mp3's from python).

I installed libmad.  The libraries appear to be in /usr/local/lib.  I
did all the distutils stuff for the module.  Now when I try to "import
mad" I get an ImportError exception:

ImportError: libmad.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file
or directory

I know the file /usr/local/lib/libmad.so.0 exists, but python can't
seem to find it.  I tried adding this path to LD_LIBRARY_PATH, but
that didn't help.

I guess that I just really dont' know enought about libraries and
linux (redhat 9).  I don't really know where they are supposed to go
after being compiled, and how python "loads" and uses them.

Any help is much appreciated,
Julia