diff --git a/src/IO/CMakeLists.txt b/src/IO/CMakeLists.txt
index 14401c4092..c225214236 100644
--- a/src/IO/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/IO/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -83,33 +83,33 @@ endif()
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
 if (LLN_FOUND)
-  target_link_libraries(IO ${LLN_LIBRARIES})
+  target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC ${LLN_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
 if (CERN_ROOT_FOUND)
   target_include_directories(IO PRIVATE ${CERN_ROOT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
   if (TARGET ROOT::Tree)
-   target_link_libraries(IO ROOT::Tree)
+   target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC ROOT::Tree)
   else()
-   target_link_libraries(IO ${CERN_ROOT_LIBRARIES})
+   target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC ${CERN_ROOT_LIBRARIES})
   endif()
 endif()
 
 if (HAVE_HDF5)
-  target_link_libraries(IO ${HDF5_CXX_LIBRARIES})
+  target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC ${HDF5_CXX_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
 if (AVW_FOUND)
-  target_link_libraries(IO ${AVW_LIBRARIES})
+  target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC ${AVW_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
 if (HAVE_ITK)
-  target_link_libraries(IO ITKCommon ${ITK_LIBRARIES})
+  target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC ITKCommon ${ITK_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
 if (UPENN_FOUND)
   target_include_directories(IO PUBLIC ${UPENN_INCLUDE_DIR})
-  target_link_libraries(IO ${UPENN_libsss_tof} ${UPENN_libfit} ${UPENN_libdist} ${UPENN_libgeom}
+  target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC ${UPENN_libsss_tof} ${UPENN_libfit} ${UPENN_libdist} ${UPENN_libgeom}
         ${UPENN_liblor} ${UPENN_liblist} ${UPENN_libmhdr} ${JANSSON_LIBRARY} ${ZLIB_LIBRARY_RELEASE}
 ${UPENN_libimagio} ${UPENN_libimagio++})
 endif()
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ if (HAVE_JSON)
   # Unfortunately, the simple line below exports the dependency while this is really not
   # necessary.
   #
-  # target_link_libraries(IO PRIVATE "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:nlohmann_json::nlohmann_json>")
+  # target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC PRIVATE "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:nlohmann_json::nlohmann_json>")
 
   # So, we currently use an ugly work-around from
   # https://gitlab.kitware.com/cmake/cmake/-/issues/15415#note_334852
@@ -131,5 +131,5 @@ if (HAVE_JSON)
 endif()
 
 # currently needed for ParametricDensity (TODO get rid of this somehow?)
-target_link_libraries(IO modelling_buildblock )
-target_link_libraries(IO listmode_buildblock)
+target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC modelling_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(IO PUBLIC listmode_buildblock)
diff --git a/src/Shape_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/Shape_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index 61e3a51232..05b8136015 100644
--- a/src/Shape_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/Shape_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(Shape_buildblock buildblock IO numerics_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(Shape_buildblock PUBLIC buildblock IO numerics_buildblock )
diff --git a/src/analytic/FBP2D/CMakeLists.txt b/src/analytic/FBP2D/CMakeLists.txt
index d72dce63e0..533520f440 100644
--- a/src/analytic/FBP2D/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/analytic/FBP2D/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 #$(dir)_REGISTRY_SOURCES:= 
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
-target_link_libraries(analytic_FBP2D recon_buildblock IO )
+target_link_libraries(analytic_FBP2D PUBLIC recon_buildblock IO )
 
 set (dir_EXE_SOURCES ${dir}_EXE_SOURCES)
 
diff --git a/src/analytic/FBP3DRP/CMakeLists.txt b/src/analytic/FBP3DRP/CMakeLists.txt
index 892b14c445..860bb5156a 100644
--- a/src/analytic/FBP3DRP/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/analytic/FBP3DRP/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 #$(dir)_REGISTRY_SOURCES:= 
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
-target_link_libraries(analytic_FBP3DRP analytic_FBP2D recon_buildblock  )
+target_link_libraries(analytic_FBP3DRP PUBLIC analytic_FBP2D recon_buildblock  )
 
 set (dir_EXE_SOURCES ${dir}_EXE_SOURCES)
 
diff --git a/src/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index 7842ba7771..1d90c88c6a 100644
--- a/src/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -130,17 +130,17 @@ endif()
 
 # TODO Remove but currently needed for ProjData.cxx, DynamicDisc*cxx, TimeFrameDef
 if (LLN_FOUND)
-  target_link_libraries(buildblock ${LLN_LIBRARIES})
+  target_link_libraries(buildblock PUBLIC ${LLN_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
 if (RDF_FOUND)
   # TODO cannot do this as it creates circular dependencies
-  # target_link_libraries(buildblock local_IO_GE)
+  # target_link_libraries(buildblock PUBLIC local_IO_GE)
 endif()
 
 # TODO currently needed as filters need fourier
-#target_link_libraries(buildblock numerics_buildblock)
+#target_link_libraries(buildblock PUBLIC numerics_buildblock)
 
 if (STIR_OPENMP)
-  target_link_libraries(buildblock ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
+  target_link_libraries(buildblock PUBLIC ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
 endif()
diff --git a/src/data_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/data_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index de99dbf5a2..e04f5c4529 100644
--- a/src/data_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/data_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -35,4 +35,4 @@ endif()
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(${dir} buildblock)
+target_link_libraries(${dir} PUBLIC buildblock)
diff --git a/src/display/CMakeLists.txt b/src/display/CMakeLists.txt
index dc71408145..05d1a5147b 100644
--- a/src/display/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/display/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ include(stir_lib_target)
 if( "${GRAPHICS}" STREQUAL "X")
 	find_package(Curses REQUIRED)
 	INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${X11_INCLUDE_DIR} ${CURSES_INCLUDE_DIR})
-	target_link_libraries(${dir} ${X11_LIBRARIES} ${CURSES_LIBRARY})
+	target_link_libraries(${dir} PUBLIC ${X11_LIBRARIES} ${CURSES_LIBRARY})
 endif()
 
-target_link_libraries(${dir} buildblock)
+target_link_libraries(${dir} PUBLIC buildblock)
diff --git a/src/eval_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/eval_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index 15dd6ac419..2f640cf30b 100644
--- a/src/eval_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/eval_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(eval_buildblock buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(eval_buildblock PUBLIC buildblock )
 
 
diff --git a/src/experimental/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/experimental/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index d68f8aa9bf..519a6461ef 100644
--- a/src/experimental/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/experimental/buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(${dir} buildblock)
+target_link_libraries(${dir} PUBLIC buildblock)
 
diff --git a/src/experimental/listmode/CMakeLists.txt b/src/experimental/listmode/CMakeLists.txt
index 30ae63c8e8..845f467f75 100644
--- a/src/experimental/listmode/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/experimental/listmode/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ endif()
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(local_listmode_buildblock listmode_buildblock  )
+target_link_libraries(local_listmode_buildblock PUBLIC listmode_buildblock  )
diff --git a/src/experimental/motion/CMakeLists.txt b/src/experimental/motion/CMakeLists.txt
index c9bc2989ef..21e2834088 100644
--- a/src/experimental/motion/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/experimental/motion/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(${dir} numerics_buildblock local_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(${dir} PUBLIC numerics_buildblock local_buildblock )
 
diff --git a/src/experimental/motion_utilities/CMakeLists.txt b/src/experimental/motion_utilities/CMakeLists.txt
index 7397b263e8..58299a07f9 100644
--- a/src/experimental/motion_utilities/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/experimental/motion_utilities/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ set(${dir_EXE_SOURCES}
 #include(stir_exe_targets)
 foreach(executable ${${dir_EXE_SOURCES}})
    add_executable(${executable} ${executable} ${STIR_IO_REGISTRIES} )
-   target_link_libraries(${executable} buildblock IO buildblock local_motion_buildblock buildblock IO buildblock listmode_buildblock display)
+   target_link_libraries(${executable} PUBLIC buildblock IO buildblock local_motion_buildblock buildblock IO buildblock listmode_buildblock display)
    SET_PROPERTY(TARGET ${executable} PROPERTY FOLDER "Executables")
 endforeach()
 
diff --git a/src/experimental/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/experimental/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index 668004ebc6..7abfbca267 100644
--- a/src/experimental/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/experimental/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
 
-target_link_libraries(local_recon_buildblock display buildblock recon_buildblock)
+target_link_libraries(local_recon_buildblock PUBLIC display buildblock recon_buildblock)
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/iterative/KOSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt b/src/iterative/KOSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt
index 3858baee17..cc59bb67f4 100644
--- a/src/iterative/KOSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/iterative/KOSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ if (STIR_MPI)
   SET_PROPERTY(TARGET KOSMAPOSL PROPERTY LINK_FLAGS ${MPI_CXX_LINK_FLAGS})
 endif()
 
-target_link_libraries(iterative_KOSMAPOSL  recon_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(iterative_KOSMAPOSL PUBLIC recon_buildblock )
 
diff --git a/src/iterative/OSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt b/src/iterative/OSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt
index 64ef89a2e0..d1f26ec13e 100644
--- a/src/iterative/OSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/iterative/OSMAPOSL/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ if (STIR_MPI)
   SET_PROPERTY(TARGET OSMAPOSL PROPERTY LINK_FLAGS ${MPI_CXX_LINK_FLAGS})
 endif()
 
-target_link_libraries(iterative_OSMAPOSL recon_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(iterative_OSMAPOSL PUBLIC recon_buildblock )
 
diff --git a/src/iterative/OSSPS/CMakeLists.txt b/src/iterative/OSSPS/CMakeLists.txt
index d5f7aafdf8..9e7f77a055 100644
--- a/src/iterative/OSSPS/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/iterative/OSSPS/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ if (STIR_MPI)
   SET_PROPERTY(TARGET OSSPS PROPERTY LINK_FLAGS ${MPI_CXX_LINK_FLAGS})
 endif()
 
-target_link_libraries(iterative_OSSPS recon_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(iterative_OSSPS PUBLIC recon_buildblock )
diff --git a/src/listmode_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/listmode_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index b21d21d3dc..baed95da42 100644
--- a/src/listmode_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/listmode_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -57,4 +57,4 @@ endif()
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(listmode_buildblock data_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(listmode_buildblock PUBLIC data_buildblock )
diff --git a/src/modelling_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/modelling_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index aab6d86d89..aed39c0c1a 100644
--- a/src/modelling_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/modelling_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(modelling_buildblock buildblock IO)
+target_link_libraries(modelling_buildblock PUBLIC buildblock IO)
diff --git a/src/numerics_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/numerics_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index 823e78dafd..c6e8f4158c 100644
--- a/src/numerics_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/numerics_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(${dir} buildblock)
+target_link_libraries(${dir} PUBLIC buildblock)
diff --git a/src/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index 711fd42977..89d3c5e272 100644
--- a/src/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/recon_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -131,27 +131,27 @@ include(stir_lib_target)
 
 
 if (STIR_MPI)
-  target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES})
+  target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
 if (STIR_OPENMP)
-  target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
+  target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
 endif()
 
 # TODO what to do with IO?
 # modelling_buildblock currently needed for ParametricDensity and Patlak (TODO get rid of this somehow?)
-target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock modelling_buildblock display numerics_buildblock listmode_buildblock data_buildblock buildblock spatial_transformation_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC modelling_buildblock display numerics_buildblock listmode_buildblock data_buildblock buildblock spatial_transformation_buildblock )
 
 if (STIR_WITH_NiftyPET_PROJECTOR)
-	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock NiftyPET::petprj)
-	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock NiftyPET::mmr_auxe)
-	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock NiftyPET::mmr_lmproc)
-	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock CUDA::cudart)
+	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC NiftyPET::petprj)
+	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC NiftyPET::mmr_auxe)
+	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC NiftyPET::mmr_lmproc)
+	target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC CUDA::cudart)
 endif()
 
 if (STIR_WITH_Parallelproj_PROJECTOR)
-  target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock parallelproj::parallelproj_c)
+  target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC parallelproj::parallelproj_c)
   if (parallelproj_built_with_CUDA)
-    target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock parallelproj::parallelproj_cuda)
+    target_link_libraries(recon_buildblock PUBLIC parallelproj::parallelproj_cuda)
   endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/src/scatter_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/scatter_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index abc5527cf4..1a22da605d 100644
--- a/src/scatter_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/scatter_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
-target_link_libraries(scatter_buildblock recon_buildblock)
+target_link_libraries(scatter_buildblock PUBLIC recon_buildblock)
diff --git a/src/spatial_transformation_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt b/src/spatial_transformation_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
index a26196e431..0434d5836c 100644
--- a/src/spatial_transformation_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/spatial_transformation_buildblock/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ set(${dir_LIB_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_lib_target)
 
-target_link_libraries(${dir} buildblock numerics_buildblock )
+target_link_libraries(${dir} PUBLIC buildblock numerics_buildblock )
diff --git a/src/swig/CMakeLists.txt b/src/swig/CMakeLists.txt
index 51b3a5abac..984ff9f459 100644
--- a/src/swig/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/swig/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ if(BUILD_SWIG_PYTHON)
    endif()
   endif()
   SWIG_WORKAROUND(${SWIG_MODULE_stir_REAL_NAME})
-  SWIG_LINK_LIBRARIES(stir ${STIR_LIBRARIES} ${STIR_Python_dependency})
-  target_link_libraries(${SWIG_MODULE_stir_REAL_NAME} ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
+  SWIG_LINK_LIBRARIES(stir PUBLIC ${STIR_LIBRARIES} ${STIR_Python_dependency})
+  target_link_libraries(${SWIG_MODULE_stir_REAL_NAME} PUBLIC ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
   CONFIGURE_FILE(./pyfragments.swg ./ COPYONLY)
 
   set(PYTHON_DEST ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/python CACHE PATH "Destination for python module")
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ if (BUILD_SWIG_OCTAVE)
   endif()
   SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${SWIG_MODULE_stiroct_REAL_NAME} PROPERTIES SUFFIX ${OCTAVE_SUFFIX} PREFIX "${OCTAVE_PREFIX}")
   SWIG_WORKAROUND(${SWIG_MODULE_stiroct_REAL_NAME})
-  SWIG_LINK_LIBRARIES(stiroct ${STIR_LIBRARIES} ${OCTAVE_LIBRARIES})
+  SWIG_LINK_LIBRARIES(stiroct PUBLIC ${STIR_LIBRARIES} ${OCTAVE_LIBRARIES})
 
   # add OCTAVE_INCFLAGS to swig-generated file only, not to all files as 
   # 1) we don't need it at the moment 2) we'd need to change from -Ibla to bla
@@ -242,9 +242,9 @@ if (BUILD_SWIG_MATLAB)
         LINK_FLAGS "${Matlab_CXXLINKER_FLAGS}"
         FOLDER "Matlab")
   SWIG_WORKAROUND(${SWIG_MODULE_stirMATLAB_REAL_NAME})
-  target_link_libraries(${SWIG_MODULE_stirMATLAB_REAL_NAME} ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
+  target_link_libraries(${SWIG_MODULE_stirMATLAB_REAL_NAME} PUBLIC ${OpenMP_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS})
 	
-  SWIG_LINK_LIBRARIES(stirMATLAB ${STIR_LIBRARIES}  ${Matlab_LIBRARIES})
+  SWIG_LINK_LIBRARIES(stirMATLAB PUBLIC ${STIR_LIBRARIES}  ${Matlab_LIBRARIES})
 
   include_directories(${Matlab_INCLUDE_DIRS})
   # disabled, as currently set via add_definitions in main CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/src/utilities/UPENN/CMakeLists.txt b/src/utilities/UPENN/CMakeLists.txt
index 54fe8d1337..c0d6a0d771 100644
--- a/src/utilities/UPENN/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/utilities/UPENN/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,5 +12,5 @@ set(${dir_EXE_SOURCES}
 
 include(stir_exe_targets)
 
-target_link_libraries(conv_UPENN_projdata_to_STIR ${UPENN_libgeom}
+target_link_libraries(conv_UPENN_projdata_to_STIR PUBLIC ${UPENN_libgeom}
     ${UPENN_liblor} ${UPENN_libimagio} ${UPENN_libimagio++} -lboost_system)