How do I automatically load a bunch of JS/CSS from sites/all/libraries without hook_library?

Question

My question is simple.

Is there a straightforward method to load a library e.g. ibeginshare (it contains 2 css, an images folder and 1 js) which I copied in sites/all/libraries to use it in my module?

I have created a module that implements hook_block_info and hook_block_view and I want to load this library in its hook_init.

Is it mandatory to use hook_library and define there everysingle file then call it via drupal_add_library? I am confused. What if I have dozens of js/css files ? What if I don't want necessarly to share the library with other modules?

NOTE I managed to load the file like this:

METHOD 1

function MYMODULE_init() {
  drupal_add_js('sites/all/libraries/ibeginshare/share.js');
}

I would like a more elegant way so I tried:

METHOD 2

function MYMODULE_init() {
  drupal_add_library('MYMODULE', 'ibeginshare');

}

/**
 * Implements hook_library().
 * @return string
 */
function MYMODULE_library() {
  $libraries['ibeginshare'] = array(
    'title' => 'ibeginshare',
    'website' => '',
    'version' => '1.2',
    'js' => array(
      'sites/all/libraries/ibeginshare/share.js' => array(),
    ),
    'css' => array(
      'sites/all/libraries/ibeginshare/share.css' => array(),
    ),
     'css' => array(
      'sites/all/libraries/ibeginshare/share-print.css' => array(),
    ),
  );

  return $libraries;
}

this loads all libraries but the plugin doesn't initialize. I wonder why. I think will work if I add a weight property in the hook_library but anything I tried didn't work.

Answer 1

Assuming you are on Drupal 7, drupal_add_library() will do just that for you. From the function's API page:

Adds multiple JavaScript or CSS files at the same time.

A library defines a set of JavaScript and/or CSS files, optionally using settings, and optionally requiring another library. For example, a library can be a jQuery plugin, a JavaScript framework, or a CSS framework. This function allows modules to load a library defined/shipped by itself or a depending module, without having to add all files of the library separately. Each library is only loaded once.

http://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/includes!common.inc/function/drupal_add_library/7

Note that you first need to define and register the library with hook_library().

http://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/modules%21system%21system.api.php/function/hook_library/7