A thin film electroluminescent edge emitter assembly [Fig. 1 (10)] includes an edge emitter structure (12, 16, 18) disposed on a layer of substrate material (14). The structure has a configuration to define a linear array of spaced-apart, light-emitting pixels (32). A packaging assembly [Figs. 1, 2 (12)] surrounds at least a portion of the edge emitter structure to enclose the linear array of light-emitting pixels in a contaminant-­free environment. At least the wall (54) of the packaging assembly adjacent to the array of pixels is made from a translucent material to permit light energy emitted by selected pixels of the array interior to the packaging assembly to pass through the wall of the packaging assembly.