diff --git a/.eslintrc.json b/.eslintrc.json
index afd1dfa56c..caddec431f 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.json
+++ b/.eslintrc.json
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
         "fenced_code": false,
         "echo": false,
         "localstorage": false,
+        "localStorage": false,
         "current_msg_list": true,
         "home_msg_list": false,
         "pm_list": false,
diff --git a/static/js/localstorage.js b/static/js/localstorage.js
index 4efda616af..a6305e4435 100644
--- a/static/js/localstorage.js
+++ b/static/js/localstorage.js
@@ -1,6 +1,149 @@
 var localstorage = (function () {
 
-var exports = {};
+var ls = {
+    // parse JSON without throwing an error.
+    parseJSON: function (str) {
+        try {
+            return JSON.parse(str);
+        } catch (err) {
+            return undefined;
+        }
+    },
+
+    // check if the datestamp is from before now and if so return true.
+    isExpired: function (stamp) {
+        return new Date(stamp) < new Date();
+    },
+
+    // return the localStorage key that is bound to a version of a key.
+    formGetter: function (version, name) {
+        return "ls__" + version + "__" + name;
+    },
+
+    // create a formData object to put in the data, a signature that it was
+    // created with this library, and when it expires (if ever).
+    formData: function (data, expires) {
+        return {
+            data: data,
+            __valid: true,
+            expires: new Date().getTime() + expires,
+        };
+    },
+
+    getData: function (version, name) {
+        var key = this.formGetter(version, name);
+        var data = localStorage.getItem(key);
+        data = ls.parseJSON(data);
+
+        if (data) {
+            if (data.__valid) {
+                // JSON forms of data with `Infinity` turns into `null`,
+                // so if null then it hasn't expired since nothing was specified.
+                if (!ls.isExpired(data.expires) || data.expires === null) {
+                    return data;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    },
+
+    // set the wrapped version of the data into localStorage.
+    setData: function (version, name, data, expires) {
+        var key = this.formGetter(version, name);
+        var val = this.formData(data, expires);
+
+        localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(val));
+    },
+
+    // remove the key from localStorage and from memory.
+    removeData: function (version, name) {
+        var key = this.formGetter(version, name);
+
+        localStorage.removeItem(key);
+    },
+
+    // migrate from an older version of a data src to a newer one with a
+    // specified callback function.
+    migrate: function (name, v1, v2, callback) {
+        var old = this.getData(v1, name);
+        this.removeData(v1, name);
+
+        if (old && old.__valid) {
+            var data = callback(old.data);
+            this.setData(v2, name, data, Infinity);
+
+            return data;
+        }
+    },
+};
+
+// return a new function instance that has instance-scoped variables.
+var exports = function () {
+    var _data = {
+        VERSION: 1,
+        expires: Infinity,
+        expiresIsGlobal: false,
+    };
+
+    var prototype = {
+        // `expires` should be a Number that represents the number of ms from
+        // now that this should expire in.
+        // this allows for it to either be set only once or permanently.
+        setExpiry: function (expires, isGlobal) {
+            _data.expires = expires;
+            _data.expiresIsGlobal = isGlobal || false;
+
+            return this;
+        },
+
+        get: function (name) {
+            var data = ls.getData(_data.VERSION, name);
+
+            if (data) {
+                return data.data;
+            }
+        },
+
+        set: function (name, data) {
+            if (typeof _data.VERSION !== "undefined") {
+                ls.setData(_data.VERSION, name, data, _data.expires);
+
+                // if the expires attribute was not set as a global, then
+                // make sure to return it back to Infinity to not impose
+                // constraints on the next key.
+                if (!_data.expiresIsGlobal) {
+                    _data.expires = Infinity;
+                }
+
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            return false;
+        },
+
+        // remove a key with a given version.
+        remove: function (name) {
+            ls.removeData(_data.VERSION, name);
+        },
+
+        migrate: function (name, v1, v2, callback) {
+            return ls.migrate(name, v1, v2, callback);
+        },
+    };
+
+    // set a new master version for the LocalStorage instance.
+    Object.defineProperty(prototype, "version", {
+        get: function () {
+            return _data.VERSION;
+        },
+        set: function (version) {
+            _data.VERSION = version;
+
+            return prototype;
+        },
+    });
+
+    return prototype;
+};
 
 var warned_of_localstorage = false;
 
@@ -17,7 +160,6 @@ exports.supported = function supports_localstorage() {
 };
 
 return exports;
-
 }());
 
 if (typeof module !== 'undefined') {