diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0143a02d..596c509c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,22 +26,18 @@ add_definitions(${PROJECT_CXX_FLAGS})
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
-#add_subdirectory(example)
-#add_subdirectory(utest)
-
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 set(SELF_LIB xo_pyutil)
 
 xo_add_headeronly_library(${SELF_LIB})
-#xo_include_headeronly_options2(${SELF_LIB})
+xo_install_library4(${SELF_LIB} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
+xo_export_cmake_config(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
-# standard install + provide find_package() support
 
-xo_install_library4(${SELF_LIB} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
-
-xo_export_cmake_config(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
+add_subdirectory(example)
+#add_subdirectory(utest)
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
 # install any additional components
diff --git a/example/CMakeLists.txt b/example/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4151ec21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+add_subdirectory(ex1)
diff --git a/example/ex1/CMakeLists.txt b/example/ex1/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d27232e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/ex1/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# xo-pyutil/example/ex1/CMakeLists.txt
+
+set(SELF_LIB xo_pyutilexample)
+set(SELF_SRCS pyex1.cpp)
+
+if (XO_ENABLE_EXAMPLES)
+    xo_pybind11_library(${SELF_LIB} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets ${SELF_SRCS})
+    xo_pybind11_dependency(${SELF_LIB} refcnt)
+endif()
+
+# end CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/example/ex1/pyex1.cpp b/example/ex1/pyex1.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..385a5b70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/ex1/pyex1.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/* @file pyex1.cpp */
+
+#include "pyutilexample.hpp"
+#include "xo/pyutil/pyutil.hpp"
+#include <cmath>
+
+namespace xo {
+
+    PYBIND11_MODULE(XO_PYUTILEXAMPLE_MODULE_NAME(), m) {
+        m.def("sqrt", [](double x) { return ::sqrt(x); });
+    }
+}
+
+/* end pyex1.cpp */
diff --git a/example/ex1/pyutilexample.hpp.in b/example/ex1/pyutilexample.hpp.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a094415a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/ex1/pyutilexample.hpp.in
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/* @file pyutilexample.hpp */
+
+/* python requires module name = library name
+ * example:
+ *   PYBIND11_MODULE(XO_PYUTILEXAMPLE_MODULE_NAME(), m) { ... }
+ */
+#define XO_PYUTILEXAMPLE_MODULE_NAME() @SELF_LIB@
+
+/* example:
+ *   py::module_::import(XO_PYUTILEXAMPLE_MODULE_NAME_STR)
+ */
+#define XO_PYUTILEXAMPLE_MODULE_NAME_STR "@SELF_LIB@"
+
+/* example:
+ *   XO_PYUTILEXAMPLE_IMPORT_MODULE()
+ * replaces
+ *   py::module_::import("xo_pyexpression")
+ */
+#define XO_PYUTILEXAMPLE_IMPORT_MODULE() py::module_::import("@SELF_LIB@")
+
+/* end pyutilexample.hpp */