include "" vs $this->load->library()

[eluser]xwero[/eluser]
The way i work most of the time is to create a codeigniter directory somewhere above the public root and that directory hold the CI framework and all the application folders. Most of the application folders are named like the domain to make it easy on myself. The system directory is renamed to shared because i see the system as the whole of CI + application + public files.

In the shared library i create the directories models and views for files that can be used in several applications. I put libraries that can be used in several applications in the shared/libraries. this way i can benefit from the CI extending libraries functionality. Of course this is not possible with the extended libraries they have to be copied until CI makes it possible to change the paths.

So it's not really necessary to create a folder outside the system. Even your old sites could link to the shared|system/libraries folder files to keep the copying to a minimum.