diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ddd5ba9e..d452bc6b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,65 +2,82 @@
 
 [![CI](https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
 
-This repository tracks the implementation of GeoBlacklight used to power the front-end of NYU Libraries [Spatial Data Repository](https://geo.nyu.edu)
+This repository tracks the implementation of GeoBlacklight used to power the front-end of NYU Libraries' [Spatial Data Repository](https://geo.nyu.edu)
 
-## Links
+## Local Development Quickstart
 
-- [Documentation Repo](https://github.com/NYULibraries/sdr-documentation)
+### Prerequisites
 
-## Archive
+You will need the following installed:
 
-- [Wiki for GBL 0.12.1](https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository/wiki); some info obsolete but contains some supporting doc and application change tracking
+- Git
+- MySQL
+- Ruby 3.2.2
+- NodeJS 20+
+- Java 11+
 
-## Local Development Quickstart
+On macOS you can use [Homebrew](https://brew.sh) and [asdf](https://asdf-vm.com) to install everything you need:
+
+```bash
+$ brew install git
+$ brew install mysql
+$ brew install asdf
+$ echo '. "$HOME/.asdf/asdf.sh"' >> ~/.zshrc
+$ source ~/.zshrc
+$ asdf plugin add ruby
+$ asdf install ruby 3.2.2
+$ asdf global ruby 3.2.2
+$ asdf plugin add java
+$ asdf install java openjdk-17
+$ asdf global java openjdk-17
+$ asdf plugin add nodejs
+$ asdf install nodejs 22.6.0
+$ asdf global nodejs 22.6.0
+```
 
-Below are barebones steps for getting started in development for the SDR. 
+### Running a Development Server
 
-### Using Vagrant
+To checkout the project and standup a development server:
 
-#### Prerequisites
-- Git
-- Vagrant
-- VirtualBox
+```bash
+$ git clone https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository.git
+$ cd spatial_data_repository
+$ bundle install
+$ npm install
+$ bundle exec rake db:schema:load
+$ bundle exec rake sdr:server
+```
+
+The development SDR web application will be available at <http://localhost:3000>
 
-#### Steps
+The development Solr instance will be available at <http://localhost:8989/solr>
 
-1. Run the commands below in order specified:
-  - `git clone https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository.git && cd spatial_data_repository`
-  - `vagrant up`
-  - `vagrant ssh`
-  - `cd /vagrant/sdr`
-  - `bundle exec rake db:schema:load`
-  - `bundle exec rake sdr:server`
-2. View to test environment Solr admin panel: http://localhost:8983/
-3. View the operating GeoBlacklight Rails app: http://localhost:3000
+#### Setup Gotchas
 
-### On Mac, including M1-3 (no virtualization)
+If the `mysql2` gem fails to install and complains about not finding `zstd` you may need to do the following:
 
-#### Prerequisites
-- Git (`brew install git`)
-- Ruby 3.2.2 (not 3.3.1) + Rails (many options; GBL recommends this [Go Rails install list](https://gorails.com/setup/macos/14-sonoma#ruby), especially for Apple M1, M2; use `asdf` install manager and install Ruby + Nodejs + Rails)
-- Mysql (`brew install mysql`)
-- Java (`brew install openjdk@11`); if needing help to add Java to PATH, see [this help](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/71059252/mac-the-operation-couldn-t-be-completed-unable-to-locate-a-java-runtime-that-su))
+```bash
+$ gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.6' -- --with-opt-dir=$(brew --prefix openssl) --with-ldflags=-L/opt/homebrew/opt/zstd/lib
+```
 
-#### Steps
+### Loading NYU Data in Development
 
-1. Run the commands below in order specified:
-  - `git clone https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository.git && cd- spatial_data_repository`
-  - `bundle install`
-  - `bundle exec rake db:schema:load`
-  - `bundle exec rake sdr:server`
-2. View to test environment Solr admin panel: http://localhost:8989/solr
-3. View the operating GeoBlacklight Rails app: http://localhost:3000
+First, start up the Rails app if it's not already running:
 
-### Setup Gotchas
+```bash
+$ bundle exec rake sdr:server
+```
 
-If the `mysql2` gem fails to install and complains about not finding `zstd` you may need to do the following:
+Then in another terminal run the following Rake task:
 
 ```bash
-gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.6' -- --with-opt-dir=$(brew --prefix openssl) --with-ldflags=-L/opt/homebrew/opt/zstd/lib
+$ bundle exec rake sdr:load_nyu_data
 ```
 
+Once completed, head to <http://localhost:3000/?search_field=all_fields> and you should have a lot more data to work with.
+
+The Solr instance does not persist its data between runs so you will need to reload the data if you ever restart the web application.
+
 ### Running the Test Suite
 
 To run the full test suite use the following command:
@@ -87,20 +104,8 @@ Note: You'll know this step is necessary if an individual spec fails with an err
 Blacklight::Exceptions::ECONNREFUSED: Connection refused - Unable to connect to Solr instance using #<RSolr::Client:0x0000000117d5e1a8 @uri=#<URI::HTTP http://127.0.0.1:8983/solr/sdr-core-test/>
 ```
 
-### Loading NYU Data Locally
-
-First, start up the Rails app if it's not already running:
-
-```bash
-$ bundle exec rake sdr:server
-```
-
-This will ensure Solr is up and running.
-
-Then in another terminal run the following Rake task:
-
-```bash
-$ bundle exec rake sdr:load_nyu_data
-```
+## Resources
 
-Once completed, head to <http://localhost:3000/?search_field=all_fields> and you should have a lot more data to work with.
+- [Documentation Repo](https://github.com/NYULibraries/sdr-documentation)
+- [Wiki for GBL 0.12.1](https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository/wiki)
+  - some info obsolete but contains some supporting doc and application change tracking
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