How to use the local::lib module: Use the --bootstrap method to install local::lib according to its installation instructions and then echo 'eval $(perl -I$HOME/perl5/lib/perl5 -Mlocal::lib)' >>~/.bashrc then run cpan shell this way perl -MCPAN -Mlocal::lib -e shell you may need to cpan> reload cpan cpan> o conf init connect_to_internet_ok urllist cpan> install Crypt::Rijndael # for example