configuration: confused about module search path

[RNG <r gasch chello nl>]

Hi, 

I just installed Mandrake 6.1 and found something curious: When I have  
my LD_LIBRARY_PATH to start with /usr/lib, everything works just fine. When 
however I first point it at /usr/local/lib (where I install new releases), I
can compile and link OK agains 1.2.6, but during startup I get a lot of the
following warnings:

Gtk-WARNING **: Unable to locate loadable module in module_path: "libpixmap.so"

I first though this would be easy, but after playing around with
LD_LIBRRY_PATH, /etc/ld.so.conf, symbolic links and rc files, I still haven't 
figured this one out. If just switching libraries is enough, then it has
something to do with compile options, but unfortunateley ./configure --help
doesn't report an option which seems appropriate for module_path. 

Can anybody enlighten me about this?

Thanks
--> Robert