Description of problem: Looks like there has not been an "official" release of shapelib for a long time, but development continues in CVS (:pserver:cvsanon.org:/cvs/maptools/cvsroot). Perhaps a ping of the mailing list (http://lists.maptools.org/mailman/listinfo/shapelib/) would get a response, but it the meantime please consider releasing a cvs snapshot in development.
Checked with Frank Warmerdam, the shapelib maintainer. There are no plans for a new shapelib release in the short term. I will find out whether there's a process for releasing a CVS snapshot into devel and, if there is, will do so in the next couple of weeks.
Ping?
I took a CVS snapshot in early Jan and repatched it. However there was some new activity so I decided to wait (I was hoping that an official release might be imminent). I've done a new snapshot today that incorporates the fixes made in Jan and Feb. If all goes well, the new version will be in the respository in the next few days.
CVS snapshot as of March 4 has been submitted and built in the devel branch
Cool. Thanks! Rebuilt python-basemap to take advantage of the changes.