Question 1

What is Blacklight and why do academic libraries use it?

Accepted Answer

Blacklight is an open-source Ruby on Rails discovery interface that connects to Apache Solr indexes. Academic libraries use Blacklight because it provides a customizable, standards-compliant search and browse experience for digital collections, catalog records, and archival materials. Unlike proprietary discovery layers, Blacklight gives institutions full control over the user interface, search behavior, and integration with existing systems. It's maintained by an active open-source community with contributions from major research libraries.

Question 2

What is the difference between Blacklight, Spotlight, and Arclight?

Accepted Answer

Blacklight is the core discovery framework. Spotlight is a self-service extension that lets curators create exhibit sites from Solr indexes without developer intervention—ideal for digital humanities projects and special collections showcases. Arclight extends Blacklight specifically for archival finding aids, providing hierarchical navigation and EAD (Encoded Archival Description) display optimized for archival description standards. Each serves distinct institutional needs while sharing the same underlying technology stack.

Question 3

Can you migrate our digital humanities site to Spotlight?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We migrate collections from legacy platforms—including Omeka, CONTENTdm, and custom-built systems—to Spotlight while preserving metadata relationships, URLs where possible, and researcher workflows. Our migration process (https://www.notch8.com/migration-services)includes stakeholder interviews to understand collection significance, user journey mapping, and phased cutover to minimize disruption. We've completed Spotlight migrations for institutions transitioning from decade-old digital humanities projects.

Question 4

How do you handle Blacklight upgrades and Bootstrap migrations?

Accepted Answer

We follow a systematic upgrade path:(https://www.notch8.com/digital-repository-maintenance-and-support) dependency audit, Rails version compatibility assessment, Blacklight gem updates, Bootstrap migration (3→4→5), and comprehensive regression testing. For institutions on legacy Bootstrap versions, we create a parallel staging environment, migrate templates and stylesheets incrementally, and validate accessibility compliance before production deployment. Typical upgrade projects include custom component refactoring and Solr configuration updates.

Question 5

What does Arclight implementation involve for archival collections?

Accepted Answer

Arclight implementation includes EAD indexing pipeline configuration, hierarchical component display, collection-level and item-level navigation, and request/reference integration. We configure Solr schemas to index finding aid structure properly, customize the display for your descriptive practices, and integrate with Aeon or other request management systems. For institutions with large finding aid backlogs, we provide bulk indexing and validation workflows.

Question 6

Do you provide ongoing maintenance for Blacklight applications?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Maintenance agreements include security patching, dependency updates, Solr optimization, and performance monitoring. We provide tiered support from quarterly review and updates through dedicated fractional engineering time.(https://www.notch8.com/fractional-engineering) Maintenance clients receive priority response for critical issues and proactive notification of upstream security advisories affecting Blacklight, Rails, or Solr components.

Question 7

Can you build a custom Blacklight application for a specialized collection?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We've built Blacklight applications for specialized use cases beyond traditional library catalogs—including research databases, media collections, and interdisciplinary projects. Custom development (https://www.notch8.com/custom-development)includes Solr schema design, facet configuration, custom viewers and display components, authentication integration, and API development. We scope projects based on collection complexity, user requirements, and integration needs.

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