diff --git a/src/index.jsx b/src/index.jsx
index 34f27f1b9..c885dac16 100755
--- a/src/index.jsx
+++ b/src/index.jsx
@@ -35,7 +35,13 @@ import { ToastProvider } from './generic/toast-context';
 import 'react-datepicker/dist/react-datepicker.css';
 import './index.scss';
 
-const queryClient = new QueryClient();
+const queryClient = new QueryClient({
+  defaultOptions: {
+    queries: {
+      staleTime: 60 * 60_000, // If cache is up to one hour old, no need to re-fetch
+    },
+  },
+});
 
 const App = () => {
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/src/library-authoring/LibraryAuthoringPage.test.tsx b/src/library-authoring/LibraryAuthoringPage.test.tsx
index 2b55375fd..ed02d68bd 100644
--- a/src/library-authoring/LibraryAuthoringPage.test.tsx
+++ b/src/library-authoring/LibraryAuthoringPage.test.tsx
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ describe('<LibraryAuthoringPage />', () => {
     expect(screen.getAllByText('Recently Modified').length).toEqual(1);
     expect((await screen.findAllByText('Introduction to Testing'))[0]).toBeInTheDocument();
 
+    // Search box should not have focus on page load
+    const searchBox = screen.getByRole('searchbox');
+    expect(searchBox).not.toHaveFocus();
+
     // Navigate to the components tab
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('tab', { name: 'Components' }));
     // "Recently Modified" default sort shown
diff --git a/src/library-authoring/LibraryLayout.tsx b/src/library-authoring/LibraryLayout.tsx
index c093af7ad..add33f95a 100644
--- a/src/library-authoring/LibraryLayout.tsx
+++ b/src/library-authoring/LibraryLayout.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ import { useCallback } from 'react';
 import {
   Route,
   Routes,
+  useMatch,
   useParams,
-  useLocation,
+  type PathMatch,
 } from 'react-router-dom';
 
-import { ROUTES } from './routes';
+import { BASE_ROUTE, ROUTES } from './routes';
 import LibraryAuthoringPage from './LibraryAuthoringPage';
 import { LibraryProvider } from './common/context/LibraryContext';
 import { SidebarProvider } from './common/context/SidebarContext';
@@ -23,12 +24,15 @@ const LibraryLayout = () => {
     throw new Error('Error: route is missing libraryId.');
   }
 
-  const location = useLocation();
+  // The top-level route is `${BASE_ROUTE}/*`, so match will always be non-null.
+  const match = useMatch(`${BASE_ROUTE}${ROUTES.COLLECTION}`) as PathMatch<'libraryId' | 'collectionId'> | null;
+  const collectionId = match?.params.collectionId;
+
   const context = useCallback((childPage) => (
     <LibraryProvider
-      /** We need to pass the pathname as key to the LibraryProvider to force a
-       * re-render when we navigate to a new path or page. */
-      key={location.pathname}
+      /** We need to pass the collectionId as key to the LibraryProvider to force a re-render
+        * when we navigate to a collection page. */
+      key={collectionId}
       libraryId={libraryId}
       /** The component picker modal to use. We need to pass it as a reference instead of
        * directly importing it to avoid the import cycle:
@@ -44,7 +48,7 @@ const LibraryLayout = () => {
         </>
       </SidebarProvider>
     </LibraryProvider>
-  ), [location.pathname]);
+  ), [collectionId]);
 
   return (
     <Routes>
diff --git a/src/search-manager/SearchKeywordsField.tsx b/src/search-manager/SearchKeywordsField.tsx
index 14a6a06dc..90c09fdd9 100644
--- a/src/search-manager/SearchKeywordsField.tsx
+++ b/src/search-manager/SearchKeywordsField.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,11 @@ import { useSearchContext } from './SearchManager';
 /**
  * The "main" input field where users type in search keywords. The search happens as they type (no need to press enter).
  */
-const SearchKeywordsField: React.FC<{ className?: string, placeholder?: string }> = (props) => {
+const SearchKeywordsField: React.FC<{
+  className?: string,
+  placeholder?: string,
+  autoFocus?: boolean,
+}> = (props) => {
   const intl = useIntl();
   const { searchKeywords, setSearchKeywords, usageKey } = useSearchContext();
   const defaultPlaceholder = usageKey ? messages.clearUsageKeyToSearch : messages.inputPlaceholder;
@@ -24,7 +28,7 @@ const SearchKeywordsField: React.FC<{ className?: string, placeholder?: string }
     >
       <SearchField.Label />
       <SearchField.Input
-        autoFocus
+        autoFocus={Boolean(props.autoFocus)}
         placeholder={placeholder}
       />
       <SearchField.ClearButton />
diff --git a/src/search-modal/SearchModal.test.tsx b/src/search-modal/SearchModal.test.tsx
index ef3572639..9449a9efd 100644
--- a/src/search-modal/SearchModal.test.tsx
+++ b/src/search-modal/SearchModal.test.tsx
@@ -73,4 +73,14 @@ describe('<SearchModal />', () => {
     const { findByText } = render(<RootWrapper />);
     expect(await findByText('An error occurred. Unable to load search results.')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
+
+  it('should set focus on the search input box when loaded in the modal', async () => {
+    axiosMock.onGet(getContentSearchConfigUrl()).replyOnce(200, {
+      url: 'https://meilisearch.example.com',
+      index: 'test-index',
+      apiKey: 'test-api-key',
+    });
+    const { getByRole } = render(<RootWrapper />);
+    expect(getByRole('searchbox')).toHaveFocus();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/search-modal/SearchModal.tsx b/src/search-modal/SearchModal.tsx
index 2e552fb6e..197ba6c70 100644
--- a/src/search-modal/SearchModal.tsx
+++ b/src/search-modal/SearchModal.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@ const SearchModal: React.FC<{ courseId?: string, isOpen: boolean, onClose: () =>
       isFullscreenOnMobile
       className="courseware-search-modal"
     >
-      <SearchUI courseId={courseId} closeSearchModal={props.onClose} />
+      <SearchUI
+        courseId={courseId}
+        closeSearchModal={props.onClose}
+        autoFocus
+      />
     </ModalDialog>
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/search-modal/SearchUI.tsx b/src/search-modal/SearchUI.tsx
index 2df074111..a70e1f69f 100644
--- a/src/search-modal/SearchUI.tsx
+++ b/src/search-modal/SearchUI.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ import EmptyStates from './EmptyStates';
 import SearchResults from './SearchResults';
 import messages from './messages';
 
-const SearchUI: React.FC<{ courseId?: string, closeSearchModal?: () => void }> = (props) => {
+const SearchUI: React.FC<{
+  courseId?: string,
+  autoFocus?: boolean,
+  closeSearchModal?: () => void,
+}> = (props) => {
   const hasCourseId = Boolean(props.courseId);
   const [searchThisCourseEnabled, setSearchThisCourse] = React.useState(hasCourseId);
   const switchToThisCourse = React.useCallback(() => setSearchThisCourse(true), []);
@@ -39,7 +43,10 @@ const SearchUI: React.FC<{ courseId?: string, closeSearchModal?: () => void }> =
       <ModalDialog.Header style={{ zIndex: 9 }} className="border-bottom">
         <ModalDialog.Title><FormattedMessage {...messages.title} /></ModalDialog.Title>
         <div className="d-flex mt-3">
-          <SearchKeywordsField className="flex-grow-1 mr-2" />
+          <SearchKeywordsField
+            className="flex-grow-1 mr-2"
+            autoFocus={props.autoFocus}
+          />
           <SelectMenu variant="primary">
             <MenuItem
               onClick={switchToThisCourse}