How to copy iPhoto library to my new Macbook?

I did a search and found some related topics that helped, but I wanted to make sure I got some more detail on this, as it seems to be a bit more complicated than I thought:
I recently purchased a MacBook Pro, and need to copy my iPhoto library from our iMac to the Pro. So, here's what I did, which apparently is not correct:
I have a backup of the iPhoto library on an external hard drive, where I simply copy the iPhoto Library folder periodically.
So, I simply connected my MacBook to that external, and selected the folders I wanted to import, and clicked on "Import to Library."
I believe what I ended up with is essentially all the thumbnails on the new library - all the images are there, but at a low resolution, and I don't seem to have the actual picture files anywhere.
From my research here, it sounds like I need to actually copy the iPhoto library from the iMac (or external hard drive) onto my MacBook, and then open them up with iPhoto.
First, is that correct?
And second, how do I delete the thumbnails that are already on my library, since I don't actually see any files? Under iPhoto library in my Finder, there is simply an iPhoto Library "icon."
Thanks for any help,
Bruce

Connect the External Hard Drive to your new computer, quit iPhoto, drag the iPhoto library from the pictures folder to the trash (empty it later after you are all done), drag the entire iPhoto library as a single entity from the EHD to the pictures folder on your new MacBook and launch iPhoto - it will find the iPhoto library you just put in the pictures folder, convert it if needed and you will have on the MB exactly what you had before on the iMac
LN

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