diff --git a/scribble-lib/scribble/base-render.rkt b/scribble-lib/scribble/base-render.rkt
index d73c0a3527..74586f10fe 100644
--- a/scribble-lib/scribble/base-render.rkt
+++ b/scribble-lib/scribble/base-render.rkt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 (require "core.rkt"
          "private/render-utils.rkt"
+         racket/list
          mzlib/class
          mzlib/serialize
          scheme/file
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@
 (provide render%
          render<%>)
 
+(define current-part (make-parameter null))
+
 (define render<%>
   (interface ()
     traverse
@@ -413,7 +416,7 @@
     ;; document-order traversal
 
     (define/public (traverse ds fns)
-      (let loop ([fp #hasheq()])
+      (let loop ([fp #hasheq(('scribble:local . #hasheq()))])
         (let ([fp2 (start-traverse ds fns fp)])
           (if (equal? fp fp2)
               fp
@@ -424,13 +427,14 @@
         (traverse-part d fp)))
 
     (define/public (traverse-part d fp)
-      (let* ([fp (if (part-title-content d)
-                     (traverse-content (part-title-content d) fp)
-                     fp)]
-             [fp (traverse-content (part-to-collect d) fp)]
-             [fp (traverse-flow (part-blocks d) fp)])
-        (for/fold ([fp fp]) ([p (in-list (part-parts d))])
-          (traverse-part p fp))))
+      (parameterize ([current-part d])
+        (let* ([fp (if (part-title-content d)
+                       (traverse-content (part-title-content d) fp)
+                       fp)]
+               [fp (traverse-content (part-to-collect d) fp)]
+               [fp (traverse-flow (part-blocks d) fp)])
+          (for/fold ([fp fp]) ([p (in-list (part-parts d))])
+            (traverse-part p fp)))))
 
     (define/public (traverse-paragraph p fp)
       (traverse-content (paragraph-content p) fp))
@@ -488,14 +492,24 @@
               (let ([v2 (v (lambda (key default)
                              (if (eq? key 'scribble:current-render-mode)
                                  (current-render-mode)
-                                 (hash-ref fp key default)))
-                           (lambda (key val)
-                             (if (eq? key 'scribble:current-render-mode)
-                                 (raise-mismatch-error 
+                                 (let* ([alll (hash-ref fp 'scribble:local #hasheq())]
+                                        [lp (hash-ref alll (current-part) #hasheq())])
+                                   (hash-ref lp key
+                                             (lambda () (hash-ref fp key default))))))
+                           (lambda (key #:local [local #f] val)
+                             (if (or (eq? key 'scribble:current-render-mode)
+                                     (eq? key 'scribble:local))
+                                 (raise-mismatch-error
                                   'traverse-info-set! 
                                   "cannot set value for built-in key: "
                                   key)
-                                 (set! fp (hash-set fp key val)))))])
+                                 (if local
+                                     (let* ([alll (hash-ref fp 'scribble:local #hasheq())]
+                                            [lp (hash-ref alll (current-part) #hasheq())])
+                                       (set! lp (hash-set lp key val))
+                                       (set! alll (hash-set alll (current-part) lp))
+                                       (set! fp (hash-set fp 'scribble:local alll)))
+                                     (set! fp (hash-set fp key val))))))])
                 (let ([fp (hash-set fp p v2)])
                   (if (procedure? v2)
                       fp
diff --git a/scribble-lib/scribble/core.rkt b/scribble-lib/scribble/core.rkt
index 9bb87319c5..9530aac07e 100644
--- a/scribble-lib/scribble/core.rkt
+++ b/scribble-lib/scribble/core.rkt
@@ -354,10 +354,16 @@
    (or (current-load-relative-directory) (current-directory)))
   #:transparent)
 
+(define element-traverse-get/c
+  (->* (symbol? any/c) () any/c))
+
+(define element-traverse-set/c
+  (->* (symbol? any/c) (#:local boolean?) any/c))
+
 (define element-traverse-procedure/c
   (recursive-contract
-   ((symbol? any/c . -> . any/c)
-    (symbol? any/c . -> . any)
+   (element-traverse-get/c
+    element-traverse-set/c
     . -> . (or/c element-traverse-procedure/c
                  content?))))