diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 54f0664..0f178b9 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@
   # built with SuiteSparse support.
 
   # Check for SuiteSparse and dependencies.
-  FIND_PACKAGE(SuiteSparse QUIET)
+  FIND_PACKAGE(SuiteSparse)
   IF (SUITESPARSE_FOUND)
     # On Ubuntu the system install of SuiteSparse (v3.4.0) up to at least
     # Ubuntu 13.10 cannot be used to link shared libraries.
diff --git a/cmake/FindCXSparse.cmake b/cmake/FindCXSparse.cmake
index 45b2f02..e291cda 100644
--- a/cmake/FindCXSparse.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindCXSparse.cmake
@@ -85,24 +85,27 @@
   ELSEIF (CXSparse_FIND_REQUIRED)
     MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to find CXSparse - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ELSE()
-    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use SEND_ERROR which emits an error
-    # that prevents generation, but continues configuration.
-    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "Failed to find CXSparse - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
+    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use WARNING which emits a message
+    # but continues configuration and allows generation.
+    MESSAGE(WARNING "Failed to find CXSparse - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ENDIF ()
 ENDMACRO(CXSPARSE_REPORT_NOT_FOUND)
 
+# Search user-installed locations first, so that we prefer user installs
+# to system installs where both exist.
+#
 # TODO: Add standard Windows search locations for CXSparse.
 LIST(APPEND CXSPARSE_CHECK_INCLUDE_DIRS
-  /usr/include
   /usr/local/include
   /usr/local/homebrew/include # Mac OS X
   /opt/local/var/macports/software # Mac OS X.
-  /opt/local/include)
+  /opt/local/include
+  /usr/include)
 LIST(APPEND CXSPARSE_CHECK_LIBRARY_DIRS
-  /usr/lib
   /usr/local/lib
   /usr/local/homebrew/lib # Mac OS X.
-  /opt/local/lib)
+  /opt/local/lib
+  /usr/lib)
 
 # Search supplied hint directories first if supplied.
 FIND_PATH(CXSPARSE_INCLUDE_DIR
diff --git a/cmake/FindEigen.cmake b/cmake/FindEigen.cmake
index 26a2a06..654e41d 100644
--- a/cmake/FindEigen.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindEigen.cmake
@@ -76,19 +76,22 @@
   ELSEIF (Eigen_FIND_REQUIRED)
     MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to find Eigen - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ELSE()
-    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use SEND_ERROR which emits an error
-    # that prevents generation, but continues configuration.
-    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "Failed to find Eigen - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
+    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use WARNING which emits a message
+    # but continues configuration and allows generation.
+    MESSAGE(WARNING "Failed to find Eigen - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ENDIF ()
 ENDMACRO(EIGEN_REPORT_NOT_FOUND)
 
+# Search user-installed locations first, so that we prefer user installs
+# to system installs where both exist.
+#
 # TODO: Add standard Windows search locations for Eigen.
 LIST(APPEND EIGEN_CHECK_INCLUDE_DIRS
-  /usr/include/eigen3
   /usr/local/include/eigen3
   /usr/local/homebrew/include/eigen3 # Mac OS X
   /opt/local/var/macports/software/eigen3 # Mac OS X.
-  /opt/local/include/eigen3)
+  /opt/local/include/eigen3
+  /usr/include/eigen3)
 
 # Search supplied hint directories first if supplied.
 FIND_PATH(EIGEN_INCLUDE_DIR
diff --git a/cmake/FindGflags.cmake b/cmake/FindGflags.cmake
index 1091862..7023982 100644
--- a/cmake/FindGflags.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindGflags.cmake
@@ -78,24 +78,27 @@
   ELSEIF (Gflags_FIND_REQUIRED)
     MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to find gflags - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ELSE()
-    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use SEND_ERROR which emits an error
-    # that prevents generation, but continues configuration.
-    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "Failed to find gflags - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
+    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use WARNING which emits a message
+    # but continues configuration and allows generation.
+    MESSAGE(WARNING "Failed to find gflags - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ENDIF ()
 ENDMACRO(GFLAGS_REPORT_NOT_FOUND)
 
+# Search user-installed locations first, so that we prefer user installs
+# to system installs where both exist.
+#
 # TODO: Add standard Windows search locations for gflags.
 LIST(APPEND GFLAGS_CHECK_INCLUDE_DIRS
-  /usr/include
   /usr/local/include
   /usr/local/homebrew/include # Mac OS X
   /opt/local/var/macports/software # Mac OS X.
-  /opt/local/include)
+  /opt/local/include
+  /usr/include)
 LIST(APPEND GFLAGS_CHECK_LIBRARY_DIRS
-  /usr/lib
   /usr/local/lib
   /usr/local/homebrew/lib # Mac OS X.
-  /opt/local/lib)
+  /opt/local/lib
+  /usr/lib)
 
 # Search supplied hint directories first if supplied.
 FIND_PATH(GFLAGS_INCLUDE_DIR
diff --git a/cmake/FindGlog.cmake b/cmake/FindGlog.cmake
index b94cff3..a3f35f6 100644
--- a/cmake/FindGlog.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindGlog.cmake
@@ -78,24 +78,27 @@
   ELSEIF (Glog_FIND_REQUIRED)
     MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to find glog - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ELSE()
-    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use SEND_ERROR which emits an error
-    # that prevents generation, but continues configuration.
-    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "Failed to find glog - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
+    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use WARNING which emits a message
+    # but continues configuration and allows generation.
+    MESSAGE(WARNING "Failed to find glog - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ENDIF ()
 ENDMACRO(GLOG_REPORT_NOT_FOUND)
 
+# Search user-installed locations first, so that we prefer user installs
+# to system installs where both exist.
+#
 # TODO: Add standard Windows search locations for glog.
 LIST(APPEND GLOG_CHECK_INCLUDE_DIRS
-  /usr/include
   /usr/local/include
   /usr/local/homebrew/include # Mac OS X
   /opt/local/var/macports/software # Mac OS X.
-  /opt/local/include)
+  /opt/local/include
+  /usr/include)
 LIST(APPEND GLOG_CHECK_LIBRARY_DIRS
-  /usr/lib
   /usr/local/lib
   /usr/local/homebrew/lib # Mac OS X.
-  /opt/local/lib)
+  /opt/local/lib
+  /usr/lib)
 
 # Search supplied hint directories first if supplied.
 FIND_PATH(GLOG_INCLUDE_DIR
diff --git a/cmake/FindSuiteSparse.cmake b/cmake/FindSuiteSparse.cmake
index 4dc6c7e..a64d837 100644
--- a/cmake/FindSuiteSparse.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindSuiteSparse.cmake
@@ -125,32 +125,37 @@
   # use the camelcase library name, not uppercase.
   IF (SuiteSparse_FIND_QUIETLY)
     MESSAGE(STATUS "Failed to find SuiteSparse - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
-  ELSE (SuiteSparse_FIND_QUIETLY)
+  ELSEIF (SuiteSparse_FIND_REQUIRED)
     MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to find SuiteSparse - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
+  ELSE()
+    # Neither QUIETLY nor REQUIRED, use WARNING which emits a message
+    # but continues configuration and allows generation.
+    MESSAGE(WARNING "Failed to find SuiteSparse - " ${REASON_MSG} ${ARGN})
   ENDIF (SuiteSparse_FIND_QUIETLY)
 ENDMACRO(SUITESPARSE_REPORT_NOT_FOUND)
 
 # Specify search directories for include files and libraries (this is the union
 # of the search directories for all OSs).  Search user-specified hint
-# directories first if supplied.
+# directories first if supplied, and search user-installed locations first
+# so that we prefer user installs to system installs where both exist.
 LIST(APPEND SUITESPARSE_CHECK_INCLUDE_DIRS
   ${SUITESPARSE_INCLUDE_DIR_HINTS}
   /opt/local/include
   /opt/local/include/ufsparse # Mac OS X
-  /usr/include
-  /usr/include/suitesparse # Ubuntu
   /usr/local/homebrew/include # Mac OS X
   /usr/local/include
-  /usr/local/include/suitesparse)
+  /usr/local/include/suitesparse
+  /usr/include/suitesparse # Ubuntu
+  /usr/include)
 LIST(APPEND SUITESPARSE_CHECK_LIBRARY_DIRS
   ${SUITESPARSE_LIBRARY_DIR_HINTS}
   /opt/local/lib
   /opt/local/lib/ufsparse # Mac OS X
-  /usr/lib
-  /usr/lib/suitesparse # Ubuntu
   /usr/local/homebrew/lib # Mac OS X
   /usr/local/lib
-  /usr/local/lib/suitesparse)
+  /usr/local/lib/suitesparse
+  /usr/lib/suitesparse # Ubuntu
+  /usr/lib)
 
 # BLAS.
 FIND_PACKAGE(BLAS QUIET)