diff --git a/src/components/Library/LibrarySearchBar.tsx b/src/components/Library/LibrarySearchBar.tsx
index bc0de1e6..193dcf03 100644
--- a/src/components/Library/LibrarySearchBar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Library/LibrarySearchBar.tsx
@@ -5,15 +5,10 @@ import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch'
 import { normalizeToDTag } from '@/lib/search-parser'
 import type { LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis } from '@/lib/library-publication-index'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
-import { useScreenSize } from '@/providers/ScreenSizeProvider'
-import modalManager from '@/services/modal-manager.service'
-import { randomString } from '@/lib/random'
 import { FileText, Loader2, Search, User, Wifi } from 'lucide-react'
 import {
   HTMLAttributes,
   useCallback,
-  useEffect,
-  useLayoutEffect,
   useMemo,
   useRef,
   useState
@@ -29,8 +24,9 @@ type LibrarySearchOption = {
 export default function LibrarySearchBar({
   searchQuery,
   onSearchQueryChange,
+  committedSearch,
   searchAxis,
-  onSearchAxisChange,
+  onCommitSearch,
   showOnlyMine,
   onShowOnlyMineChange,
   mineFilterLoading,
@@ -40,8 +36,9 @@ export default function LibrarySearchBar({
 }: {
   searchQuery: string
   onSearchQueryChange: (value: string) => void
+  committedSearch: string
   searchAxis: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null
-  onSearchAxisChange: (axis: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null) => void
+  onCommitSearch: (query: string, axis: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null) => void
   showOnlyMine: boolean
   onShowOnlyMineChange: (value: boolean) => void
   mineFilterLoading?: boolean
@@ -50,29 +47,17 @@ export default function LibrarySearchBar({
   disabled?: boolean
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation()
-  const { isSmallScreen } = useScreenSize()
   const [searching, setSearching] = useState(false)
-  const [displayList, setDisplayList] = useState(false)
-  const [selectableOptions, setSelectableOptions] = useState<LibrarySearchOption[]>([])
   const [selectedIndex, setSelectedIndex] = useState(-1)
-  const prevSelectableCountRef = useRef(0)
   const searchInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null)
-  const barContainerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
-  const [suggestPanelTop, setSuggestPanelTop] = useState(0)
-  const id = useMemo(() => `library-search-${randomString()}`, [])
   const canSearchRelays = searchQuery.trim().length > 0 && !relaySearchLoading
 
-  useEffect(() => {
+  const selectableOptions = useMemo((): LibrarySearchOption[] => {
     const search = searchQuery.trim()
-    if (!search) {
-      setSelectableOptions([])
-      setSelectedIndex(-1)
-      setSearching(false)
-      return
-    }
+    if (!search) return []
 
     const normalizedDTag = normalizeToDTag(search)
-    const options: LibrarySearchOption[] = [
+    return [
       { axis: null, search },
       { axis: 'title', search },
       { axis: 'author', search },
@@ -80,71 +65,23 @@ export default function LibrarySearchBar({
         ? [{ axis: 'd-tag' as const, search: normalizedDTag, input: search }]
         : [])
     ]
-    setSelectableOptions(options)
   }, [searchQuery])
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setDisplayList(searching && !!searchQuery.trim())
-  }, [searching, searchQuery])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const trimmed = searchQuery.trim()
-    const len = selectableOptions.length
-    if (!trimmed) {
-      prevSelectableCountRef.current = 0
-      return
-    }
-    if (len > 0 && prevSelectableCountRef.current === 0) {
-      const el = searchInputRef.current
-      if (el && document.activeElement !== el) {
-        queueMicrotask(() => {
-          el.focus({ preventScroll: true })
-        })
-      }
-    }
-    prevSelectableCountRef.current = len
-  }, [searchQuery, selectableOptions])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (displayList && selectableOptions.length > 0) {
-      modalManager.register(id, () => {
-        setDisplayList(false)
-      })
-    } else {
-      modalManager.unregister(id)
-    }
-  }, [displayList, selectableOptions.length, id])
+  const displayList = searching && selectableOptions.length > 0
 
   const blur = () => {
     setSearching(false)
+    setSelectedIndex(-1)
     searchInputRef.current?.blur()
   }
 
-  const applyOption = (option: LibrarySearchOption) => {
-    onSearchAxisChange(option.axis)
-    if (option.input && option.input !== searchQuery) {
-      onSearchQueryChange(option.input)
-    }
-    blur()
-  }
-
-  const updateSuggestPanelGeometry = useCallback(() => {
-    const el = barContainerRef.current
-    if (!el) return
-    setSuggestPanelTop(el.getBoundingClientRect().bottom)
-  }, [])
-
-  useLayoutEffect(() => {
-    if (!displayList || selectableOptions.length === 0 || !isSmallScreen) return
-    updateSuggestPanelGeometry()
-    const onScrollOrResize = () => updateSuggestPanelGeometry()
-    window.addEventListener('scroll', onScrollOrResize, true)
-    window.addEventListener('resize', onScrollOrResize)
-    return () => {
-      window.removeEventListener('scroll', onScrollOrResize, true)
-      window.removeEventListener('resize', onScrollOrResize)
-    }
-  }, [displayList, selectableOptions.length, isSmallScreen, searchQuery, updateSuggestPanelGeometry])
+  const applyOption = useCallback(
+    (option: LibrarySearchOption) => {
+      onCommitSearch(option.input ?? option.search, option.axis)
+      blur()
+    },
+    [onCommitSearch]
+  )
 
   const handleKeyDown = useCallback(
     (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
@@ -173,7 +110,7 @@ export default function LibrarySearchBar({
         blur()
       }
     },
-    [selectableOptions, selectedIndex]
+    [applyOption, selectableOptions, selectedIndex]
   )
 
   const list = useMemo(() => {
@@ -222,61 +159,37 @@ export default function LibrarySearchBar({
         })}
       </>
     )
-  }, [selectableOptions, selectedIndex])
+  }, [applyOption, selectableOptions, selectedIndex])
 
-  const suggestTopPx = Math.max(0, suggestPanelTop - 4)
-  const suggestionsPanel = list ? (
-    <div
-      className={cn(
-        'bg-surface-background shadow-lg',
-        isSmallScreen
-          ? 'fixed left-4 right-4 z-[110] overflow-y-auto rounded-b-lg border border-t-0 border-border/80 pt-1'
-          : 'absolute top-full z-50 -translate-y-1 inset-x-0 rounded-b-lg pt-1'
-      )}
-      style={
-        isSmallScreen
-          ? {
-              top: suggestTopPx,
-              maxHeight: `calc(100dvh - ${suggestTopPx}px - 3.25rem - env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px))`
-            }
-          : undefined
-      }
-      onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
-    >
-      <div className="h-fit">{list}</div>
-    </div>
-  ) : null
+  const isCommitted = committedSearch.trim().length > 0 && committedSearch.trim() === searchQuery.trim()
 
   const scopeLabel =
-    searchAxis === 'title'
+    isCommitted && searchAxis === 'title'
       ? t('Library search scope title')
-      : searchAxis === 'author'
+      : isCommitted && searchAxis === 'author'
         ? t('Library search scope author')
-        : searchAxis === 'd-tag'
+        : isCommitted && searchAxis === 'd-tag'
           ? t('Library search scope dtag')
           : null
 
   return (
     <div className="space-y-3">
-      <div ref={barContainerRef} className="relative">
-        {displayList && list && !isSmallScreen && (
-          <>
-            {suggestionsPanel}
-            <div className="fixed inset-0 z-40 w-full h-full" onClick={() => blur()} aria-hidden />
-          </>
-        )}
-        {displayList && list && isSmallScreen && (
-          <>
-            <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[100] w-full h-full" onClick={() => blur()} aria-hidden />
-            {suggestionsPanel}
-          </>
-        )}
+      <div className="relative">
+        {displayList && list ? (
+          <div
+            className="absolute top-full z-50 -translate-y-1 inset-x-0 rounded-b-lg border border-border/80 bg-surface-background pt-1 shadow-lg"
+            onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+          >
+            <div className="h-fit">{list}</div>
+          </div>
+        ) : null}
         <SearchInput
           ref={searchInputRef}
           type="search"
           value={searchQuery}
           onChange={(e) => {
             setSearching(true)
+            setSelectedIndex(-1)
             onSearchQueryChange(e.target.value)
           }}
           onPaste={() => setSearching(true)}
@@ -284,17 +197,15 @@ export default function LibrarySearchBar({
           onFocus={() => setSearching(true)}
           onBlur={() => setSearching(false)}
           placeholder={t('Library search placeholder')}
-          className={cn(
-            'bg-surface-background pl-3',
-            displayList && isSmallScreen && 'relative z-[120]',
-            displayList && !isSmallScreen && 'z-50'
-          )}
+          className={cn('bg-surface-background pl-3', displayList && 'z-50')}
           disabled={disabled}
           aria-label={t('Library search placeholder')}
         />
       </div>
       {scopeLabel ? (
         <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{scopeLabel}</p>
+      ) : searchQuery.trim() && !isCommitted ? (
+        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{t('Library search commit hint')}</p>
       ) : null}
       {onSearchRelays ? (
         <Button
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLibraryPublications.ts b/src/hooks/useLibraryPublications.ts
index 01382060..37258d3e 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLibraryPublications.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useLibraryPublications.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import type { Event } from 'nostr-tools'
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
 const SEARCH_DEBOUNCE_MS = 300
+const RELAY_SEARCH_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000
 
 const EMPTY_ENGAGEMENT: PublicationEngagementMaps = {
   labelAddresses: new Set(),
@@ -60,11 +61,11 @@ export function useLibraryPublications(isActive: boolean) {
   const [indexEvents, setIndexEvents] = useState<Event[]>([])
   const [engagement, setEngagement] = useState<PublicationEngagementMaps>(EMPTY_ENGAGEMENT)
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('')
+  const [committedSearch, setCommittedSearch] = useState('')
   const [searchAxis, setSearchAxis] = useState<LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null>(null)
   const [debouncedSearch, setDebouncedSearch] = useState('')
   const [showOnlyMine, setShowOnlyMine] = useState(false)
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false)
-  const [engagementLoading, setEngagementLoading] = useState(false)
   const [searchLoading, setSearchLoading] = useState(false)
   const [relaySearchLoading, setRelaySearchLoading] = useState(false)
   const [searchResults, setSearchResults] = useState<LibraryPublicationEntry[] | null>(null)
@@ -132,16 +133,28 @@ export function useLibraryPublications(isActive: boolean) {
   }, [pubkey])
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const t = window.setTimeout(() => setDebouncedSearch(searchQuery), SEARCH_DEBOUNCE_MS)
+    const t = window.setTimeout(() => setDebouncedSearch(committedSearch), SEARCH_DEBOUNCE_MS)
     return () => window.clearTimeout(t)
-  }, [searchQuery])
+  }, [committedSearch])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!searchQuery.trim()) {
+      setCommittedSearch('')
       setSearchAxis(null)
     }
   }, [searchQuery])
 
+  const commitSearch = useCallback(
+    (query: string, axis: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null) => {
+      const trimmed = query.trim()
+      if (!trimmed) return
+      setSearchQuery(trimmed)
+      setCommittedSearch(trimmed)
+      setSearchAxis(axis)
+    },
+    []
+  )
+
   useEffect(() => {
     setFeedPageIndex(0)
   }, [debouncedSearch, showOnlyMine, searchAxis])
@@ -179,7 +192,6 @@ export function useLibraryPublications(isActive: boolean) {
     let cancelled = false
     indexesReadyRef.current = false
     setLoading(true)
-    setEngagementLoading(false)
     setError(null)
     setFeedPageIndex(0)
     const forceRefresh = forceRefreshNextLoadRef.current
@@ -207,12 +219,19 @@ export function useLibraryPublications(isActive: boolean) {
             }
             applyIndexesSnapshot(snapshot, EMPTY_ENGAGEMENT, 0)
             setLoading(false)
-            setEngagementLoading(true)
           }
         })
         if (cancelled) return
-        applyIndexesSnapshot(result, result.engagement, 0)
         setEngagement(result.engagement)
+        applyIndexesSnapshot(
+          {
+            indexEvents: result.indexEvents,
+            allIndexCount: result.allIndexCount,
+            topLevelCount: result.topLevelCount
+          },
+          result.engagement,
+          0
+        )
       } catch (e) {
         if (cancelled) return
         if (indexesReadyRef.current) {
@@ -231,7 +250,6 @@ export function useLibraryPublications(isActive: boolean) {
       } finally {
         if (!cancelled) {
           setLoading(false)
-          setEngagementLoading(false)
         }
       }
     })()
@@ -304,16 +322,34 @@ export function useLibraryPublications(isActive: boolean) {
   const searchOnRelays = useCallback(async () => {
     const q = searchQuery.trim()
     if (!q) return
+    setCommittedSearch(q)
     setRelaySearchLoading(true)
     setError(null)
     try {
       const relays = await buildLibraryRelayUrls(pubkey || undefined, blockedRelays ?? [])
-      const { events, mergedIndexEvents, fromCache } = await searchLibraryPublicationsOnRelays(
-        q,
-        relays,
-        { indexEvents, engagement },
-        { axis: searchAxis }
-      )
+      let timeoutId: number | undefined
+      const timeoutPromise = new Promise<never>((_, reject) => {
+        timeoutId = window.setTimeout(
+          () => reject(new Error('Relay search timed out')),
+          RELAY_SEARCH_TIMEOUT_MS
+        )
+      })
+      let events: Event[]
+      let mergedIndexEvents: Event[]
+      let fromCache: boolean
+      try {
+        ;({ events, mergedIndexEvents, fromCache } = await Promise.race([
+          searchLibraryPublicationsOnRelays(
+            q,
+            relays,
+            { indexEvents, engagement },
+            { axis: searchAxis }
+          ),
+          timeoutPromise
+        ]))
+      } finally {
+        if (timeoutId !== undefined) window.clearTimeout(timeoutId)
+      }
       setIndexEvents(mergedIndexEvents)
       setAllIndexCount(mergedIndexEvents.length)
       setTopLevelCount(getTopLevelIndexEvents(mergedIndexEvents).length)
@@ -444,14 +480,14 @@ export function useLibraryPublications(isActive: boolean) {
     entries: filteredEntries,
     searchQuery,
     setSearchQuery,
+    committedSearch,
     searchAxis,
-    setSearchAxis,
+    commitSearch,
     showOnlyMine,
     setShowOnlyMine,
     mineFilterLoading:
       mineFilterComputing || (showOnlyMine && booklistTargetsLoading),
     loading,
-    engagementLoading,
     searchLoading,
     relaySearchLoading,
     error,
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/de.ts b/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
index 761541fa..25629052 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
@@ -1657,6 +1657,7 @@ export default {
     'Library search scope title': 'Suche nach Titel',
     'Library search scope author': 'Suche nach Autor',
     'Library search scope dtag': 'Suche nach d-Tag',
+    'Library search commit hint': 'Enter drücken oder einen Suchtyp auswählen',
     'Library show only my publications': 'Meine Publikationen',
     'Library empty': 'Noch keine Publikationen auf deinen Relays gefunden.',
     'Library empty filtered': 'Keine Publikationen entsprechen den Filtern.',
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 44889acb..63b0f291 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -1680,6 +1680,7 @@ export default {
     'Library search scope title': 'Searching by title',
     'Library search scope author': 'Searching by author',
     'Library search scope dtag': 'Searching by d-tag',
+    'Library search commit hint': 'Press Enter or choose a search type below',
     'Library show only my publications': 'My publications',
     'Library empty': 'No publications found on your relays yet.',
     'Library empty filtered': 'No publications match your filters.',
diff --git a/src/lib/library-publication-index.ts b/src/lib/library-publication-index.ts
index 0f3fdf4d..dcde1441 100644
--- a/src/lib/library-publication-index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/library-publication-index.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import { queryIndexRelay, queryIndexRelayForLibrary, queryIndexRelayPublicationM
 import {
   buildIndexByAddress,
   buildStructuralPublicationIndexMap,
-  collectPublicationIndexEventIds,
   collectReachableAddressesCached,
   eventTagAddress,
   filterValidIndexEvents,
@@ -55,7 +54,11 @@ const INDEX_MAX_PAGES_PER_RELAY = 100
 const INDEX_VERIFY_CHUNK = 80
 const ENGAGEMENT_ADDRESS_CHUNK = 36
 const ENGAGEMENT_EVENT_ID_CHUNK = 44
-const MAX_TARGET_ADDRESSES = 480
+/** Cap engagement relay queries to the first slice of the catalog (not the full index corpus). */
+const MAX_TARGET_ADDRESSES = 120
+const MAX_TARGET_EVENT_IDS = 160
+const MAX_ENGAGEMENT_HTTP_CHUNKS = 6
+const ENGAGEMENT_FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS = 25_000
 const HYDRATE_MISSING_CAP = 64
 export const LIBRARY_PAGE_SIZE = 120
 /** @deprecated Use {@link LIBRARY_PAGE_SIZE} */
@@ -918,8 +921,21 @@ export async function fetchPublicationEngagementMaps(
     return emptyPublicationEngagementMaps()
   }
 
-  const addressChunks = chunkArray([...targetAddresses], ENGAGEMENT_ADDRESS_CHUNK)
-  const eventIdChunks = chunkArray([...targetEventIds], ENGAGEMENT_EVENT_ID_CHUNK)
+  return withEngagementTimeout(
+    fetchPublicationEngagementMapsInner(relayUrls, targetAddresses, targetEventIds, options),
+    emptyPublicationEngagementMaps(),
+    'maps'
+  )
+}
+
+async function fetchPublicationEngagementMapsInner(
+  relayUrls: string[],
+  targetAddresses: Set<string>,
+  targetEventIds: Set<string>,
+  options?: { viewerPubkey?: string | null }
+): Promise<PublicationEngagementMaps> {
+  const addressChunks = limitEngagementChunks(chunkArray([...targetAddresses], ENGAGEMENT_ADDRESS_CHUNK))
+  const eventIdChunks = limitEngagementChunks(chunkArray([...targetEventIds], ENGAGEMENT_EVENT_ID_CHUNK))
   const { wsRelays, httpRelays } = splitWsAndHttpRelays(relayUrls)
   const useWsEngagement = wsRelays.length > 0
   if (import.meta.env.DEV) {
@@ -1572,8 +1588,10 @@ export async function refreshLibraryEngagement(
   viewerPubkey?: string | null
 ): Promise<{ engagement: PublicationEngagementMaps; engaged: LibraryPublicationEntry[] }> {
   const indexByAddress = buildIndexByAddress(indexEvents)
-  const targetAddresses = collectTargetAddressesFromIndexes(indexEvents, indexByAddress)
-  const targetEventIds = collectPublicationIndexEventIds(indexEvents)
+  const { addresses: targetAddresses, eventIds: targetEventIds } = collectEngagementTargets(
+    indexEvents,
+    indexByAddress
+  )
   const engagementRelayUrls = await buildLibraryEngagementRelayUrls(
     viewerPubkey ?? undefined,
     indexRelayUrls,
@@ -1598,22 +1616,22 @@ export async function refreshLibraryEngagement(
   }
 }
 
-/** Search all cached kind-30040 indexes (library index store), mapping nested hits to top-level roots. */
-export function searchLibraryPublicationIndex(
+const LIBRARY_SEARCH_BATCH_SIZE = 80
+
+function collectLibraryPublicationIndexSearchRoots(
   query: string,
   indexEvents: Event[],
-  indexByAddress: Map<string, Event>,
-  axis?: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null
-): Event[] {
+  topLevelIds: Set<string>,
+  addressToRoot: Map<string, Event>,
+  axis: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null | undefined,
+  roots: Map<string, Event>,
+  start: number,
+  end: number
+): void {
   const q = query.trim()
-  if (!q || indexEvents.length === 0) return []
 
-  const topLevel = getTopLevelIndexEvents(indexEvents)
-  const topLevelIds = new Set(topLevel.map((ev) => ev.id))
-  const addressToRoot = buildAddressToRootMap(topLevel, indexByAddress)
-  const roots = new Map<string, Event>()
-
-  for (const ev of indexEvents) {
+  for (let i = start; i < end; i++) {
+    const ev = indexEvents[i]
     if (ev.kind !== ExtendedKind.PUBLICATION) continue
     if (!publicationIndexMatchesSearchQueryWithAxis(ev, q, axis)) continue
 
@@ -1626,10 +1644,78 @@ export function searchLibraryPublicationIndex(
     const root = addr ? addressToRoot.get(addr) : undefined
     if (root) roots.set(root.id, root)
   }
+}
 
+/** Search all cached kind-30040 indexes (library index store), mapping nested hits to top-level roots. */
+export function searchLibraryPublicationIndex(
+  query: string,
+  indexEvents: Event[],
+  indexByAddress: Map<string, Event>,
+  axis?: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null
+): Event[] {
+  const q = query.trim()
+  if (!q || indexEvents.length === 0) return []
+
+  const topLevel = getTopLevelIndexEvents(indexEvents)
+  const topLevelIds = new Set(topLevel.map((ev) => ev.id))
+  const addressToRoot = buildAddressToRootMap(topLevel, indexByAddress)
+  const roots = new Map<string, Event>()
+  collectLibraryPublicationIndexSearchRoots(
+    q,
+    indexEvents,
+    topLevelIds,
+    addressToRoot,
+    axis,
+    roots,
+    0,
+    indexEvents.length
+  )
   return [...roots.values()]
 }
 
+/** Yields between batches so large index scans do not freeze the UI. */
+export function searchLibraryPublicationIndexAsync(
+  query: string,
+  indexEvents: Event[],
+  indexByAddress: Map<string, Event>,
+  axis?: LibraryPublicationRelaySearchAxis | null,
+  signal?: { cancelled: boolean }
+): Promise<Event[]> {
+  const q = query.trim()
+  if (!q || indexEvents.length === 0) return Promise.resolve([])
+
+  const topLevel = getTopLevelIndexEvents(indexEvents)
+  const topLevelIds = new Set(topLevel.map((ev) => ev.id))
+  const addressToRoot = buildAddressToRootMap(topLevel, indexByAddress)
+  const roots = new Map<string, Event>()
+  let i = 0
+
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const step = () => {
+      if (signal?.cancelled) return
+      const end = Math.min(i + LIBRARY_SEARCH_BATCH_SIZE, indexEvents.length)
+      collectLibraryPublicationIndexSearchRoots(
+        q,
+        indexEvents,
+        topLevelIds,
+        addressToRoot,
+        axis,
+        roots,
+        i,
+        end
+      )
+      i = end
+      if (signal?.cancelled) return
+      if (i < indexEvents.length) {
+        requestAnimationFrame(step)
+      } else {
+        resolve([...roots.values()])
+      }
+    }
+    requestAnimationFrame(step)
+  })
+}
+
 export type LibrarySearchContext = {
   indexEvents: Event[]
   engagement?: PublicationEngagementMaps
@@ -1666,7 +1752,7 @@ export async function searchLibraryPublications(
 
   const engagement = context.engagement ?? EMPTY_ENGAGEMENT
   const indexByAddress = buildIndexByAddress(indexEvents)
-  const fromIndex = searchLibraryPublicationIndex(q, indexEvents, indexByAddress, axis)
+  const fromIndex = await searchLibraryPublicationIndexAsync(q, indexEvents, indexByAddress, axis)
   const rootMap = new Map<string, Event>()
   for (const root of fromIndex) rootMap.set(root.id, root)
 
@@ -2232,19 +2318,66 @@ function collectTargetAddressesFromIndexes(
   indexEvents: Event[],
   indexByAddress: Map<string, Event>
 ): Set<string> {
+  return collectEngagementTargets(indexEvents, indexByAddress).addresses
+}
+
+/** Capped address + event-id targets for label/comment/highlight relay queries. */
+export function collectEngagementTargets(
+  indexEvents: Event[],
+  indexByAddress: Map<string, Event>
+): { addresses: Set<string>; eventIds: Set<string> } {
   const addresses = new Set<string>()
+  const eventIds = new Set<string>()
   outer: for (const root of getTopLevelIndexEvents(indexEvents)) {
+    eventIds.add(root.id.toLowerCase())
+    if (eventIds.size >= MAX_TARGET_EVENT_IDS) break
+
     for (const addr of collectReachableAddressesCached(root, indexByAddress)) {
       addresses.add(addr)
-      if (addresses.size >= MAX_TARGET_ADDRESSES) break outer
+      const indexed = indexByAddress.get(addr)
+      if (indexed) eventIds.add(indexed.id.toLowerCase())
+      if (addresses.size >= MAX_TARGET_ADDRESSES || eventIds.size >= MAX_TARGET_EVENT_IDS) {
+        break outer
+      }
     }
     const rootAddr = eventTagAddress(root)
     if (rootAddr) {
       addresses.add(rootAddr)
-      if (addresses.size >= MAX_TARGET_ADDRESSES) break outer
+      if (addresses.size >= MAX_TARGET_ADDRESSES || eventIds.size >= MAX_TARGET_EVENT_IDS) {
+        break outer
+      }
     }
   }
-  return addresses
+  return { addresses, eventIds }
+}
+
+function limitEngagementChunks<T>(chunks: T[][]): T[][] {
+  return chunks.length <= MAX_ENGAGEMENT_HTTP_CHUNKS
+    ? chunks
+    : chunks.slice(0, MAX_ENGAGEMENT_HTTP_CHUNKS)
+}
+
+async function withEngagementTimeout<T>(
+  promise: Promise<T>,
+  fallback: T,
+  label: string
+): Promise<T> {
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
+  try {
+    return await Promise.race([
+      promise,
+      new Promise<T>((resolve) => {
+        timer = setTimeout(() => {
+          if (import.meta.env.DEV) {
+            logger.warn('[Library] engagement fetch timed out', { label, ms: ENGAGEMENT_FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS })
+          }
+          resolve(fallback)
+        }, ENGAGEMENT_FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS)
+      })
+    ])
+  } finally {
+    if (timer) clearTimeout(timer)
+  }
 }
 
 async function buildEngagedFromCache(
@@ -2257,8 +2390,10 @@ async function buildEngagedFromCache(
   const topLevel = getTopLevelIndexEvents(indexEvents)
   let maps = engagement
   if (!maps) {
-    const targetAddresses = collectTargetAddressesFromIndexes(indexEvents, indexByAddress)
-    const targetEventIds = collectPublicationIndexEventIds(indexEvents)
+    const { addresses: targetAddresses, eventIds: targetEventIds } = collectEngagementTargets(
+      indexEvents,
+      indexByAddress
+    )
     const engagementRelayUrls = await buildLibraryEngagementRelayUrls(
       viewerPubkey ?? undefined,
       indexRelayUrls,
@@ -2335,11 +2470,10 @@ async function runLibraryPublicationIndexLoad(
   if (!options?.forceRefresh && sessionCache?.relayKey === key) {
     const cachedIndexEvents = indexEventsFromCache(sessionCache)
     if (sessionCache.viewerPubkey !== viewerPubkey) {
-      const targetAddresses = collectTargetAddressesFromIndexes(
+      const { addresses: targetAddresses, eventIds: targetEventIds } = collectEngagementTargets(
         cachedIndexEvents,
         sessionCache.indexByAddress
       )
-      const targetEventIds = collectPublicationIndexEventIds(cachedIndexEvents)
       const engagementRelayUrls = await buildLibraryEngagementRelayUrls(
         viewerPubkey ?? undefined,
         relayUrls,
@@ -2403,8 +2537,10 @@ async function runLibraryPublicationIndexLoad(
   }
 
   topLevel = getTopLevelIndexEventsFromMap(indexByAddress)
-  const targetAddresses = collectTargetAddressesFromIndexes(indexEvents, indexByAddress)
-  const targetEventIds = collectPublicationIndexEventIds(indexEvents)
+  const { addresses: targetAddresses, eventIds: targetEventIds } = collectEngagementTargets(
+    indexEvents,
+    buildIndexByAddress(indexEvents)
+  )
   if (import.meta.env.DEV) {
     logger.info('[Library] fetching engagement', {
       targetAddresses: targetAddresses.size,
diff --git a/src/pages/primary/LibraryPage/index.tsx b/src/pages/primary/LibraryPage/index.tsx
index f82e9245..290b704b 100644
--- a/src/pages/primary/LibraryPage/index.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/primary/LibraryPage/index.tsx
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ const LibraryPage = forwardRef<TPageRef>((_props, ref) => {
     entries,
     searchQuery,
     setSearchQuery,
+    committedSearch,
     searchAxis,
-    setSearchAxis,
+    commitSearch,
     showOnlyMine,
     setShowOnlyMine,
     mineFilterLoading,
     loading,
-    engagementLoading,
     searchLoading,
     relaySearchLoading,
     error,
@@ -70,8 +70,9 @@ const LibraryPage = forwardRef<TPageRef>((_props, ref) => {
           <LibrarySearchBar
             searchQuery={searchQuery}
             onSearchQueryChange={setSearchQuery}
+            committedSearch={committedSearch}
             searchAxis={searchAxis}
-            onSearchAxisChange={setSearchAxis}
+            onCommitSearch={commitSearch}
             showOnlyMine={showOnlyMine}
             onShowOnlyMineChange={setShowOnlyMine}
             mineFilterLoading={mineFilterLoading}
@@ -87,8 +88,6 @@ const LibraryPage = forwardRef<TPageRef>((_props, ref) => {
         ) : null}
         {loading ? (
           <p className="mb-4 text-xs text-muted-foreground">{t('Library loading')}</p>
-        ) : engagementLoading ? (
-          <p className="mb-4 text-xs text-muted-foreground">{t('Library engagement loading')}</p>
         ) : searchLoading ? (
           <p className="mb-4 text-xs text-muted-foreground">{t('Library search loading')}</p>
         ) : mineFilterLoading ? (
@@ -106,7 +105,7 @@ const LibraryPage = forwardRef<TPageRef>((_props, ref) => {
             (showOnlyMine && mineFilterLoading)
           }
           emptyMessage={
-            searchQuery.trim() || showOnlyMine ? t('Library empty filtered') : t('Library empty')
+            committedSearch.trim() || showOnlyMine ? t('Library empty filtered') : t('Library empty')
           }
         />
         {defaultFeedHasMore ? (