Interestingly enough, my package was installed correctly, but the Nuget package name <aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd> was not the same as the namespace that I needed to reference <aaa.bbb.xxx.yyy>.

if that's not what does it for you, here's a list of other items I tried:

• directory.packages.props -> making sure the correct version is listed

• csproj file-> making sure the package is listed there (i prefer not to have the version at all there and pulled only from directory packages props)

• csproj file -> checking your target framework, ensuring the nuget package is compatible

• nuget manager -> find list of dependency requirements for your specific framework and versions and ensure theyre compatible

• looked at the filepath to the .dll and ensured that it existed for our target framework

• cleared all nuget cache

• tried an earlier version

• tried a different PC

• restarted PC

• restarted visual studio after nuget install

• tried hitting 'run' despite the build not working

• looking for repos that use the same package and seeing their versions / csproj (what would have helped me was seeing how they reference the class and what their using statement looked like)