diff --git a/tools.funcs.zsh b/tools.funcs.zsh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e5a29a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools.funcs.zsh
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+
+function zshlibs_update()
+{
+  zshlibs_log zlibs_update "preparing self update …"
+  if [[ -n "$zshlibs_install" ]] 
+  then
+    zshlibs_log zlibs_update "cd into '$zshlibs_install' …"
+    pushd $zshlibs_install 2>&1 > /dev/null
+    zshlibs_log zlibs_update "git pull …"
+    (
+    git pull 2>&1 |zshlibs_log zlibs_update & # > "${HOME}/.log/z_zshlibs_update" &
+    )
+    zshlibs_log zlibs_update "update done"
+    popd 2>&1 > /dev/null
+  else
+    echo "\$zshlibs_install not set!"
+    return 1
+    zlibs_install
+  fi
+}
+
+function zshlibs_boot()
+{
+  # ensure log directory
+  zshlibs_log zbootstrap "ensure directory '${HOME}/.log/'"
+  zshlibs_ensure -d "${HOME}/.log/"
+}
+
+function zshlibs_ensure()
+{
+  target=${2}
+  typ=${1}
+  if ! test -e ${target}
+  then
+    zshlibs_log zshlibs_ensure "creating '${target}' ($typ) …"
+    case $typ in
+      -d)
+        mkdir -p ${target} \
+          || zshlibs_log $0 "unable to create directory '${target}'"  \
+          && return 2
+        ;;
+      -f)
+        touch ${target} \
+          || zshlibs_log $0 "unable to create file '${target}'" \
+          && return 2
+    esac
+    zshlibs_log zshlibs_ensure "target '${target}' created"
+  elif test ${typ} ${target}
+  then 
+    zshlibs_log zshlibs_ensure "target '${target}' ($typ) present"
+    return 0
+  else
+    zshlibs_log zshlibs_ensure "target '${target}' already exists and it is not a directory"
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+function zshlibs_log()
+{
+  local facility=$1
+  shift
+  if [[ -n "${@}" ]]
+  then
+    echo "$(date -Ins) ${@}" >> "${HOME}/.log/z_$facility.log"
+  else
+    echo "$(date -Ins) $(cat)" >> "${HOME}/.log/z_$facility.log"
+  fi
+}
+
+function zshlibs_path_add()
+{
+  local pathtoadd="${1}"
+  zshlibs_log $0 "adding path '$pathtoadd' to \$PATH"
+  if [[ ! ${path[(r)${pathtoadd}]} ]]
+  then
+    path+=(${pathtoadd})
+  fi
+}
+
+function zshlibs_fpath_add()
+{
+  local fpathtoadd="${1}"
+  zshlibs_log $0 "adding fpath '$fpathtoadd' to \$fpath"
+  if [[ ! ${fpath[(r)${fpathtoadd}]} ]]
+  then
+    path+=(${fpathtoadd})
+  fi
+}
+
+function zshlibs_start()
+{
+  zshlibs_boot
+  zconfig_boot
+  zssh_boot
+  zshlibs_update
+}
+
+function zbootstrap()
+{
+  zshlibs_start
+}
diff --git a/zconfig.funcs.zsh b/zconfig.funcs.zsh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31f06bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zconfig.funcs.zsh
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+
+function zconfig_checkload()
+{
+  typeset -a -g zconfig_loaded
+  if [[ ! ${zconfig_loaded[(r)${1}]} ]]
+  then
+    zshlibs_log zconfig "sourcing config '$1'"
+    . -- $1 2>&1 >(zshlibs_log zconfig)
+    zconfig_loaded+=("$1")
+    zshlibs_log zconfig "end sourcing config '$1'"
+  else
+    zshlibs_log zconfig "config '$1' already loaded"
+  fi
+}
+
+function zconfigs_load()
+{
+  for configfile in ${*}; do
+    zconfig_checkload $configfile
+  done
+}
+
+function zconfigs_local_load()
+{
+  if [[ ! -a ${zconfig_local_path} ]]; then
+    zshlibs_log $0 "local config missing, recreating from '${zconfig_shared_path}/zshconfig.example'"
+    mkdir -p -m 700 ${zconfig_local_path}
+    cp ${zconfig_shared_path}/zshconfig.example ${zconfig_local_path}/local.config.zsh
+  fi
+  if [[ ! -d ${zconfig_local_path} ]]; then
+    zshlibs_log zconfigs "local config appears to be a file, loading '${zconfig_local_path}'"
+    zconfig_checkload ${zconfig_local_path}
+  else
+    zshlibs_log zconfigs "local config is a directory, loading '${zconfig_local_path}/*.config.zsh'"
+    zconfigs_load ${zconfig_local_path}/*.config.zsh;
+  fi
+}
+
+# zconfig bootup
+
+function zconfig_boot()
+{
+  zconfig_configure
+  zconfig_setup
+  zconfig_setup_interactive
+}
+
+function zconfig_configure()
+{
+  typeset -a -g zconfig_loaded
+  typeset -a -g config_extra # user populatable config names in zshlibs location
+  typeset -g zconfig_shared_path="${zshlibs_install}/config"
+  typeset -g zconfig_local_path="${HOME}/.config/zsh"
+}
+
+function zbootstrap_noninteractive()
+{
+  zshlibs_log zconfig "WARNING: legacy function called"
+  zconfig_configure
+  zconfig_setup
+}
+
+function zconfig_setup()
+{
+  zshlibs_log zconfig 'load global config'
+  zconfig_checkload ${zconfig_shared_path}/global.config.zsh
+  zshlibs_log zconfig 'load local configs'
+  zconfigs_local_load
+  for zconfig in $config_extra; do
+    zshlibs_log zconfig 'load config extra $zconfig'
+    zconfig_checkload ${zconfig_shared_path}/${zconfig}.config.zsh
+  done
+}
+
+function zconfig_setup_interactive()
+{
+  zshlibs_log zconfig "loading interactive config"
+  zconfig_checkload ${zconfig_shared_path}/global.style.zsh
+  zshlibs_log zconfig "done loading interactive config"
+}