For all those having problems with CPAN module installs, there is one (rather odd) solution that has worked for me.
Log in as root
$ su -
# cd ~/.cpan/build
If this gives you an error, try changing instead to the home directory of the user that did the install: # cd /home/myusername/.cpan/build
# ls -l
Change to the directory of the package in question (using ZOOM as an example, the directory name should be similar but will be different)
# cd Net-Z3950-ZOOM-1.21-s1Kt5N
# make
# make install
In many cases, doing this when the cpan tool absolutely refused to work helped enormously.
Good luck to you all,
--
Jesse