diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index deeef6d8b..60d30ab09 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(ecore-config,
 ])
 ecore_cflags=`$ECORE_CONFIG --cflags`
 ecore_libs=`$ECORE_CONFIG --libs`
+AC_SUBST(ecore_cflags)
+AC_SUBST(ecore_libs)
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(edje-config,
 [  --with-edje-config=EDJE_CONFIG    use edje-config specified ],
diff --git a/src/lib/.cvsignore b/src/lib/.cvsignore
index 282522db0..633ff1844 100644
--- a/src/lib/.cvsignore
+++ b/src/lib/.cvsignore
@@ -1,2 +1,6 @@
 Makefile
 Makefile.in
+.deps
+.libs
+e_main.lo
+libe.la
diff --git a/src/lib/E.h b/src/lib/E.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ba99a10b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/E.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#ifndef _E_H
+#define _E_H
+
+
+#ifdef EAPI
+#undef EAPI
+#endif
+#ifdef WIN32
+# ifdef BUILDING_DLL
+#  define EAPI __declspec(dllexport)
+# else
+#  define EAPI __declspec(dllimport)
+# endif
+#else
+# ifdef GCC_HASCLASSVISIBILITY
+#  define EAPI __attribute__ ((visibility("default")))
+# else
+#  define EAPI
+# endif
+#endif
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+   /* edje_main.c */
+   EAPI int          e_init                       (const char *display);
+   EAPI int          e_shutdown                   (void);
+
+   EAPI void         e_module_enabled_set         (const char *module,
+                                                   int enable);
+   EAPI void         e_module_loaded_set          (const char *module,
+                                                   int load);
+   EAPI void         e_background_set             (const char *bgfile);
+     
+   
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/lib/Makefile.am b/src/lib/Makefile.am
index a5b74c1f0..9e4ca61d1 100644
--- a/src/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
-MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in
-INCLUDES	     = -I/usr/local/include \
-		       -I$(includedir)
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES	= Makefile.in
+INCLUDES		= -I/usr/local/include \
+			  -I$(includedir) \
+			  -I../bin/
+			  @ecore_cflags@
+
+lib_LTLIBRARIES		= libe.la
+
+include_HEADERS		= E.h
+
+libe_la_SOURCES= \
+e_main.c \
+e_private.h
+
+libe_la_LIBADD		= @ecore_libs@
+libe_la_DEPENDENCIES	= $(top_builddir)/config.h
diff --git a/src/lib/e_main.c b/src/lib/e_main.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af7ce3bb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/e_main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=8:sw=3:sts=8:noexpandtab:cino=>5n-3f0^-2{2
+ */
+
+
+/*
+ * TODO:
+ * add ecore events for callbacks to all/some ipc calls, e.g. module_list
+ *
+ * add module_list, module_enabled_get and module_enabled_set
+ *
+ * augment IPC calls and add wrappers for them - i.e.:
+ *   e restart/shutdown
+ *   desktops add/remove/list etc
+ *   windows shade[get/set]/maximise[get/set]/iconify[get/set]/list
+ *
+ * add ability to e to set theme, so we can have a theme_set call :)
+ */
+
+#include "E.h"
+#include "e_private.h"
+
+#include <Ecore.h>
+#include <Ecore_Ipc.h>
+
+static int  _e_ipc_init(const char *display);
+static void _e_ipc_shutdown(void);
+
+static Ecore_Ipc_Server *_e_ipc_server  = NULL;
+
+int
+e_init(const char* display)
+{
+   if (_e_ipc_server)
+     return 0;
+
+   /* basic ecore init */
+   if (!ecore_init())
+     {
+	printf("ERROR: Enlightenment cannot Initialize Ecore!\n"
+	       "Perhaps you are out of memory?\n");
+	return 0;
+     }
+
+   /* init ipc */
+   if (!ecore_ipc_init())
+     {
+	printf("ERROR: Enlightenment cannot initialize the ipc system.\n"
+	       "Perhaps you are out of memory?\n");
+	return 0;
+     }
+
+   /* setup e ipc service */
+   if (!_e_ipc_init(display))
+     {
+	printf("ERROR: Enlightenment cannot set up the IPC socket.\n"
+	       "Did you specify the right display?\n");
+	return 0;
+     }
+   
+   return 1;
+}
+
+int
+e_shutdown(void)
+{
+   _e_ipc_shutdown();
+   ecore_ipc_shutdown();
+   ecore_shutdown();
+
+   return 1;
+}
+
+void
+e_module_enabled_set(const char *module, int enable)
+{
+   E_Ipc_Op type;
+
+   if (!module)
+     return;
+
+   if (enable)
+     type = E_IPC_OP_MODULE_ENABLE;
+   else
+     type = E_IPC_OP_MODULE_DISABLE;
+
+   ecore_ipc_server_send(_e_ipc_server, E_IPC_DOMAIN_REQUEST, type, 0/*ref*/,
+			 0/*ref_to*/, 0/*response*/, (void *)module,
+			 strlen(module));
+}
+
+void
+e_module_load_set(const char *module, int load)
+{
+   E_Ipc_Op type;
+
+   if (!module)
+     return;
+
+   if (load)
+     type = E_IPC_OP_MODULE_LOAD;
+   else
+     type = E_IPC_OP_MODULE_UNLOAD;
+
+   ecore_ipc_server_send(_e_ipc_server, E_IPC_DOMAIN_REQUEST, type, 0/*ref*/,
+			 0/*ref_to*/, 0/*response*/, (void *)module,
+			 strlen(module));
+}
+
+void
+e_background_set(const char *bgfile)
+{
+   if (!bgfile)
+     return;
+
+   ecore_ipc_server_send(_e_ipc_server, E_IPC_DOMAIN_REQUEST, E_IPC_OP_BG_SET,
+			 0/*ref*/, 0/*ref_to*/, 0/*response*/, (void *)bgfile,
+			 strlen(bgfile));
+}
+
+static int
+_e_ipc_init(const char *display)
+{
+   char buf[1024];
+   char *disp;
+   
+   disp = (char *)display;
+   if (!disp) disp = ":0";
+   snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "enlightenment-(%s)", disp);
+   _e_ipc_server = ecore_ipc_server_connect(ECORE_IPC_LOCAL_USER, buf, 0, NULL);
+   /* FIXME: we shoudl also try the generic ":0" if the display is ":0.0" */
+   /* similar... */
+   if (!_e_ipc_server) return 0;
+   
+//   ecore_event_handler_add(ECORE_IPC_EVENT_SERVER_ADD, _e_ipc_cb_server_add, NULL);
+//   ecore_event_handler_add(ECORE_IPC_EVENT_SERVER_DEL, _e_ipc_cb_server_del, NULL);
+//   ecore_event_handler_add(ECORE_IPC_EVENT_SERVER_DATA, _e_ipc_cb_server_data, NULL);
+   
+   return 1;
+}
+
+static void
+_e_ipc_shutdown(void)
+{
+   if (_e_ipc_server)
+     {
+	ecore_ipc_server_del(_e_ipc_server);
+	_e_ipc_server = NULL;
+     }
+}
+
+
diff --git a/src/lib/e_private.h b/src/lib/e_private.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a48d44422
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/e_private.h
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#ifndef _EDJE_PRIVATE_H
+#define _EDJE_PRIVATE_H
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include "e_ipc.h"
+
+
+#endif