About Us

A Tradition of Digital Leadership and Transformation

Founded in 1994, VitalSource is the leading education technology solutions provider committed to helping partners create, deliver, and distribute affordable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences worldwide. As a recognized innovator in the digital course materials market, VitalSource is best known for partnering with thousands of publishers and institutions to deliver extraordinary learning experiences to millions of active users globally. Today, we’re committed to powering new, cutting-edge technologies designed to optimize teaching and learning for the 21st century.

1995-2000

Breaking New Ground with Digital Content Technology

Dr. Todd Watkins, founder, introduces the world to the concept of the etext. Beginning with a fully digitized four-year dental school curriculum on a single DVD, the “VitalBook” file format revolutionizes learning in such sectors as dental, nursing, and law. By the end of 2000, more than 25,000 students are piloting Bookshelf, the eReader that would go on to transform digital learning.

2000-2010

Catalyzing Print-to-Digital Transformation in Global Higher Education

VitalSource launches the first university-wide, fully integrated etext program with major academic publishers, pioneers LMS integrations, and in 2006, is acquired by Ingram Content Group. By 2009, VitalSource is the #1 preferred print-to-digital partner in higher education.

2010-2015

Championing Affordability, Access, and Impact through Digital

By 2013, Bookshelf is the #1 academic eReader platform with a billion pages read by millions of students around the world. VitalSource is the first to offer EPUB 3 file formats, again reinventing the digital content experience. In 2014, VitalSource acquires CourseSmart, making Bookshelf home to the largest digital content catalog, and expanding existing sampling and inventory management capabilities.

2015-2020

Ready for a New World of Learning

We expand and scale our portfolio to fully support the online learner experience. With the addition of Verba, Intrepid, and Acrobatiq, and our 2019 agreement with BNED, we solidify our market-leading positions in digital content supply chain management, inclusive access, and online learning platforms.

2017

VitalSource Solidifies Market Leadership in Inclusive Access

VitalSource acquires Verba Software, a San Francisco-based company dedicated to using technology to support campus stores and help students save money on course materials. Founded in 2008, Verba grew as a start-up from a student government project at Harvard University and is now the market leader in tackling course materials affordability through radical transparency.

2017

VitalSource Expands into Corporate Learning

VitalSource acquires Intrepid Learning, the award-winning Seattle-based corporate learning technology leader. Intrepid is a collaborative learning platform that empowers organizations to solve high-stakes business challenges through engaging and applied learning at scale.

2018

VitalSource Invests in Learning Science

VitalSource acquires Acrobatiq, the leading learning optimization platform built from Carnegie Mellon University’s strengths in learning and data science. Acrobatiq enables partners to rapidly create, deliver, and continuously improve outcomes-based learning experiences.

2019

VitalSource’s Technology powers the BNC FirstDay™ Inclusive Access Platform

Barnes & Noble Education partners with VitalSource to strengthen BNC FirstDay’s Inclusive Access platform, enhancing affordability and access solutions for colleges and universities.

2020-onward

Evolve & Thrive for the 21st-Century Learner

VitalSource is ready to help our partners evolve and thrive in a new world of learning with game-changing courseware, global econtent platforms that keep content safe and data private, new business models, accessibility and affordability solutions, and sophisticated gateways that seamlessly connect courses and content to learners.