I can't comment if there is a conventional way, but my thinking is that it really makes sense to use the libraries folder for this purpose and I have seen others doing the same. 

Personally I have used the libraries folder in the same way, and later on my extension I usually load the library with the `jimport` function.

Like this for example: 

    jimport('simplehtmldom.simple_html_dom');

it will include the php file:

> "/libraries/simplehtmldom/simple_html_dom.php"