  We study thermalization in open quantum systems using the Lindblad formalism.
A method that both thermalizes and couples to Lindblad operators only at edges
of the system is introduced. Our method leads to a Gibbs state of the system,
satisfies fluctuation-dissipation relations, and applies both to integrable and
non-integrable systems. Possible applications of the method include the study
of systems coupled locally to multiple reservoirs. Our analysis also highlights
the limits of applicability of the Lindblad approach to study strongly driven
systems.
