[hblug] .bash_profile newbie question

[Pete]

I have a file ~/.bash_profile with the following contents:

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/home/hugp/Development/Libs/Ice-3.2.0/lib

I expected that when I open a new command shell and type:

echo $LS_LIBRARY_PATH it would display:
/home/hugp/Development/Libs/Ice-3.2.0/lib

but it doesn't.

When is the .bash_profile invoked and wherelse could I add this environment
variable to the system so that it is always there for me?

Cheers
Pete