Corrupted iTunes Library Issue - Help!

So I'm running an Intel-based version 10.6. Today I downloaded an Apple Update trying to fix a keyboard issue, and when i restarted found that my iTunes library is gone, save for maybe 400 apparently random songs. I have not lost any of the music itself, just the library. I can't seem to recover it - there's no evidence of the past library and restarting didn't magically bring it back.
Is there some step I'm missing to restore the previous iTunes library, or do I now have to manually go through and re-add everything? It's all scattered about different places, is the problem, and its about 22,000 songs. I have a 120G iPod synced to it, is there a way to sync just the library from the iPod to the iTunes?
My other idea is, since I'm almost out of space on the 120G iPod anyway, and since I have another way to charge it, maybe just backing all my music up onto a hard drive, deleting it all from the computer, buying a second iPod, and starting new and just not re-sync the old one ever (only charge it). Thoughts?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
PS - I don't want to erase all the music and re-add everything to iTunes from the iPod, because the last time I had to do so I lost some stuff.

The central file to everything is the library.itl file in your Music > iTunes folder.  Start iTunes with the option key held down and guide it to that file.  If you're lucky then it will be the one you need.  If not then it is hard to determine where the file might be.  Normally an update should not affect something like the iTunes library but if your file directory was having issues (did you verify with Disk Utility first?) then who knows?  This is why one backs up before installing system software updates.
If you have a backup then let us know.  You may be able to rescue a copy of the iTunes Library.itl from that and replace the bad copy in your iTunes folder.
Since your media are scattered about it may be a painstaking task adding them all again but it may come down to that.  Again, back up...

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