This script tries to automate installation of packagaes directly from CTAN. This may come handy when the latex distro lacks package manager and users have non-root privileges.

latex_install_local_pkgs_from_ctan.bash

PKGS="tabu caption adjustbox collectbox"; \
for p in ${PKGS}; do \
  (url=http://mirrors.ctan.org/install/macros/latex/contrib/$p.tds.zip && \
  if [[ ! `wget -S --spider ${url}  2>&1 | grep 'HTTP/1.1 200 OK'` ]]; then \
    url=http://mirrors.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/$p.zip && \
    wget ${url} && \
    unzip ${url##*/} && \
    if [ "$(expr $p/*.sty)" = "$p/*.sty" ]; then \
      cd $p && latex $p.ins && cd ..; \
    fi && \
    mkdir -p $(kpsewhich -var-value=TEXMFHOME)/tex/latex/$p && \
    cp $p/*.sty $(kpsewhich -var-value=TEXMFHOME)/tex/latex/$p/ && \
    rm -rf $p ${url##*/} && \
    echo -e "\n** INFO: Package $p installed\n"; \
  else \
    wget ${url} && \
    unzip ${url##*/} -d $(kpsewhich -var-value=TEXMFHOME) && \
    rm -rf ${url##*/} && \
    echo -e "\n** INFO: Package $p installed\n"; \
  fi) || break; \
done