New JFFS2 code needs upgrade to zlib. Zlib where is it/does it go?

Linux-mtd,
I am trying to upgrade JFFS2 code for uClinux-dist so that I can use it. I have found it depends on the latest libz.a (version 1.2.3). I downloaded zlib and copied it into the uClinux-dist/lib/zlib directory. This upgrades libz.a in uClinux-dist/lib directory. In addition to this I compiled zlib-1.2.3 and installed on my developing host system. So it is also in /usr/local/lib/zlib.a, as recommended on-line. The cross compiler looks in /usr/local//m68k-uclinux/... for libz.a and zlib.h. When I try to compile it never sees my new zlib in the host /usr/local/lib/zlib.a nor in the ./uClinux-dist/lib/zlib.a. What else do I need to do?
Thanks,
Glen Johnson