diff --git a/src/app/core/data/item-data.service.ts b/src/app/core/data/item-data.service.ts
index d85941a0ee1..13f74cba9b6 100644
--- a/src/app/core/data/item-data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/item-data.service.ts
@@ -47,16 +47,18 @@ import { CreateData, CreateDataImpl } from './base/create-data';
 import { RequestParam } from '../cache/models/request-param.model';
 import { dataService } from './base/data-service.decorator';
 import { FollowLinkConfig } from 'src/app/shared/utils/follow-link-config.model';
+import { SearchData, SearchDataImpl } from './base/search-data';
 
 /**
  * An abstract service for CRUD operations on Items
  * Doesn't specify an endpoint because multiple endpoints support Item-like functionality (e.g. items, itemtemplates)
  * Extend this class to implement data services for Items
  */
-export abstract class BaseItemDataService extends IdentifiableDataService<Item> implements CreateData<Item>, PatchData<Item>, DeleteData<Item> {
+export abstract class BaseItemDataService extends IdentifiableDataService<Item> implements CreateData<Item>, PatchData<Item>, DeleteData<Item>, SearchData<Item> {
   private createData: CreateData<Item>;
   private patchData: PatchData<Item>;
   private deleteData: DeleteData<Item>;
+  private searchData: SearchData<Item>;
 
   protected constructor(
     protected linkPath,
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ export abstract class BaseItemDataService extends IdentifiableDataService<Item>
     this.createData = new CreateDataImpl(this.linkPath, requestService, rdbService, objectCache, halService, notificationsService, this.responseMsToLive);
     this.patchData = new PatchDataImpl<Item>(this.linkPath, requestService, rdbService, objectCache, halService, comparator, this.responseMsToLive, this.constructIdEndpoint);
     this.deleteData = new DeleteDataImpl(this.linkPath, requestService, rdbService, objectCache, halService, notificationsService, this.responseMsToLive, this.constructIdEndpoint);
+    this.searchData = new SearchDataImpl(this.linkPath, requestService, rdbService, objectCache, halService, this.responseMsToLive);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -389,31 +392,43 @@ export abstract class BaseItemDataService extends IdentifiableDataService<Item>
     return this.createData.create(object, ...params);
   }
 
-  public getSearchEndpoint(topic: string): Observable<string> {
-    return this.halService.getEndpoint(this.linkPath).pipe(
-      map((endpoint: string) => {
-        let result = `${endpoint}/search/${topic}`;
-        console.log(result);
-        return result;
-      })
-      // switchMap((url: string) => this.halService.getEndpoint('search', `${topic}`))
-    );
-  }
+  // private getSearchEndpoint(topic: string): Observable<string> {
+  //   return this.halService.getEndpoint(this.linkPath).pipe(
+  //     map((endpoint: string) => {
+  //       let result = `${endpoint}/search/${topic}`;
+  //       console.log(result);
+  //       return result;
+  //     })
+  //   );
+  // }
 
-  public findItemsWithEdit(...linksToFollow: FollowLinkConfig<Item>[]): Observable<RemoteData<PaginatedList<Item>>> {
-    const hrefObs = this.getSearchEndpoint("findItemsWithEdit");
-    hrefObs.pipe(
-      isNotEmptyOperator(),
-      take(1)
-    ).subscribe((href) => {
-      const request = new GetRequest(this.requestService.generateRequestId(), href);
-      this.requestService.send(request);
-    });
-    return this.rdbService.buildList<Item>(hrefObs, ...linksToFollow).pipe(
-      filter((items: RemoteData<PaginatedList<Item>>) => !items.isResponsePending)
-    );
+  /**
+   * Make a new FindListRequest with given search method
+   *
+   * @param searchMethod                The search method for the object
+   * @param options                     The [[FindListOptions]] object
+   * @param useCachedVersionIfAvailable If this is true, the request will only be sent if there's
+   *                                    no valid cached version. Defaults to true
+   * @param reRequestOnStale            Whether or not the request should automatically be re-
+   *                                    requested after the response becomes stale
+   * @param linksToFollow               List of {@link FollowLinkConfig} that indicate which
+   *                                    {@link HALLink}s should be automatically resolved
+   * @return {Observable<RemoteData<PaginatedList<T>>}
+   *    Return an observable that emits response from the server
+   */
+  public searchBy(searchMethod: string, options?: FindListOptions, useCachedVersionIfAvailable?: boolean, reRequestOnStale?: boolean, ...linksToFollow: FollowLinkConfig<Item>[]): Observable<RemoteData<PaginatedList<Item>>> {
+    return this.searchData.searchBy(searchMethod, options, useCachedVersionIfAvailable, reRequestOnStale, ...linksToFollow);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Find the list of items for which the current user has editing rights.
+   *
+   * @param linksToFollow List of {@link FollowLinkConfig} that indicate which
+   *                      {@link HALLink}s should be automatically resolved
+   */
+  public findItemsWithEdit(options: FindListOptions, useCachedVersionIfAvailable = true, reRequestOnStale = true, ...linksToFollow: FollowLinkConfig<Item>[]): Observable<RemoteData<PaginatedList<Item>>> {
+    return this.searchBy('findItemsWithEdit', options, useCachedVersionIfAvailable, reRequestOnStale );
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/editable-item-selector/editable-item-selector.component.ts b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/editable-item-selector/editable-item-selector.component.ts
index 93adbe29245..e8cdea6de4b 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/editable-item-selector/editable-item-selector.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/editable-item-selector/editable-item-selector.component.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,16 @@ import { followLink } from '../../../utils/follow-link-config.model';
 import { getFirstCompletedRemoteData, mapRemoteDataPayload } from 'src/app/core/shared/operators';
 import { hasValue } from 'src/app/shared/empty.util';
 import { ItemSearchResult } from 'src/app/shared/object-collection/shared/item-search-result.model';
+import { FindListOptions } from 'src/app/core/data/find-list-options.model';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-editable-item-selector',
   templateUrl: '../dso-selector.component.html',
   styleUrls: ['../dso-selector.component.scss']
 })
+/**
+ * Component rendering a list of items that are editable by the current user.
+ */
 export class EditableItemSelectorComponent extends DSOSelectorComponent {
 
   constructor(
@@ -32,12 +36,19 @@ export class EditableItemSelectorComponent extends DSOSelectorComponent {
     super(searchService, notificationsService, translate, dsoNameService);
   }
 
+  /*
+   * Find the list of items that can be edited by the current user.
+   */
   search(query: string, page: number):
     Observable<RemoteData<PaginatedList<SearchResult<DSpaceObject>>>>
   {
-    return this.itemDataService.findItemsWithEdit(followLink('owningCollection')).pipe(
+    const findOptions: FindListOptions = {
+      currentPage: page,
+      elementsPerPage: this.defaultPagination.pageSize
+    };
+    return this.itemDataService.findItemsWithEdit(findOptions, false, false, followLink('owningCollection')).pipe(
       getFirstCompletedRemoteData(),
-      tap((rdata) => console.log('TEST:', rdata)),
+      tap((rdata) => console.log('TAPPEDITAP:', rdata)), // XXX
       mapRemoteDataPayload((payload) => hasValue(payload)
         ? buildPaginatedList(payload.pageInfo, payload.page.map((item) =>
             Object.assign(new ItemSearchResult(), { indexableObject: item })))