diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e2a7180..dbe6414 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Before then the API may undergo slight changes and tweaks. Use the repository as
 
  - [Redis commands](https://redis.io/docs/latest/commands/) (reference documentation)
  - [SMA eXchange (SMA-X)](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eYbWDClKkV7JnJxv4MxuNBNV47dFXuUWu7C4Ve_YTf0/edit?usp=sharing) 
-   -- A structured realtime database built on Redis.
+   -- A structured realtime database built on Redis / Valkey.
    * [Smithsonian/smax-server](https://github.com/Smithsonian/smax-server) -- SMA-X server configuration kit
    * [Smithsonian/smax-clib](https://github.com/Smithsonian/smax-clib) -- A C/C++ client library and toolkit to SMA-X,
      based on __RedisX__
diff --git a/config.mk b/config.mk
index c6eea53..4202265 100644
--- a/config.mk
+++ b/config.mk
@@ -61,11 +61,16 @@ endif
 # Link against math libs (for e.g. isnan()), and xchange dependency
 LDFLAGS += -lm -lxchange
 
+# Search for libraries under LIB
+ifneq ($(findstring $(LIB),$(LD_LIBRARY_PATH)),$LIB)
+  LD_LIBRARY_PATH := $(LIB):$(LD_LIBRARY_PATH)
+endif
+
 # Compile and link against a specific xchange library (if defined)
 ifdef XCHANGE
   CPPFLAGS += -I$(XCHANGE)/include
   LDFLAGS += -L$(XCHANGE)/lib
-  LD_LIBRARY_PATH = $(XCHANGE)/lib:$(LD_LIBRARY_PATH)
+  LD_LIBRARY_PATH := $(XCHANGE)/lib:$(LD_LIBRARY_PATH)
 endif
 
 # Search for files in the designated locations