# Jupyter lab - User issues installing packages and plugins. Is there a. workaround?

**URL:** <https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696>\
**Category:** Get Help\
**Created:** [January 9, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696 "2026-01-09T00:47:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ChrisPWelsh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/chrispwelsh/32/2555_2.png) [@ChrisPWelsh](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/ChrisPWelsh)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696/1 "2026-01-09T00:47:40Z")

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Hi All,

I have installed Jupyter lab, It is installed as a shared package and loaded as a module for OOD.

1. The interface works but it looks like because it is installed system wide Users don’t have the perms to install their packages. I don’t see any variables (that work) to set that allows install or running of Jupyter Lab system wide as a module but allow users to save their python stuff and plugins in their home directory? I know I could solve this with a cond env or perhaps a container for users but are there any ways to make the way I have it setup work.

2. The other thing I would like advise on is, is it a bad thing to let users manage their own install of:  
a. Jupyter plugins?  
b. Python packages?

3. Is it better to manage the above as a sysadmin centrally or as users. Risks?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696/2 "2026-01-12T15:05:13Z")

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I think there’s another question around about Jupyter plugins that I’m not so sure on. I don’t know if or how users could supply additional plugins for Jupyter.

For regular python packages they’d like to use in their notebooks is simple though - users should create kernels that hold these packages. Google searching `jupyter conda kernel` should provide some results for the same.

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**Author:** ![ChrisPWelsh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/chrispwelsh/32/2555_2.png) [@ChrisPWelsh](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/ChrisPWelsh)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 4:25am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696/3 "2026-01-15T04:25:20Z")

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Thx, Jeff for trying to answer the query. I would love to know how others have implemented this as my approach is somewhat locked down , i.e. users cannot install packages locally. The advantage is that because most of it is central, the core stuff is managed by root. A blend of both is what I am looking for from folks. So Anyone else ??

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**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696/4 "2026-01-16T15:12:11Z")

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> [@ChrisPWelsh](#):
>
> i.e. users cannot install packages locally

Users can’t install packages in their own $HOME?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChrisPWelsh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/chrispwelsh/32/2555_2.png) [@ChrisPWelsh](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/ChrisPWelsh)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 4:06am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696/5 "2026-02-06T04:06:46Z")

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Yep, $HOME. Apologies for the lack of clarity. Seems there is no variable to have Jupyter lab installed systems wide (not condo) but allow users to install plugins and packages locally as far as I can see. Hope I am missing something here, and likely may be? Any wisdom or things to try will be useful, thx.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/b/bae70bd0ed39a3ae769c2108155f4cb3e9da8385.png) [@system](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 4:07am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/jupyter-lab-user-issues-installing-packages-and-plugins-is-there-a-workaround/4696/6 "2026-08-05T04:07:07Z")

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