Avid Learning Transitions to Readium LCP
By Johnathon Amayo, Director of Learning Services
Dear Avid Learning Community,
For the past several months, we've been talking about the future of Avid Learning eBooks and listening to your feedback about Adobe Digital Editions. Many of you have shared stories about installation challenges, Adobe ID issues, and helping students get through technical hurdles before they could even begin learning.
Today, we're excited to announce the next step in that journey.
Avid Learning is transitioning our eBooks from Adobe DRM to Readium LCP, a modern, open-source digital rights management (DRM) standard designed to make accessing your course materials simpler, faster, and more reliable.
This isn't just a technology change. It's a significant improvement to the learning experience for students, instructors, and institutions around the world.
Why We're Making the Change
Readium LCP offers a number of advantages over Adobe DRM, including:
- No Adobe ID required
- Faster and easier setup
- Better privacy
- Cross-platform support
- Modern, open-source technology
- A significantly improved experience for students and instructors
One of our biggest goals has always been to remove barriers between students and learning. Moving away from Adobe Digital Editions is an important step toward that goal.
Our Recommended Readers
After extensive testing with our DRM partner, EditionGuard, and the Readium community, Avid officially recommends:
Desktop
- Thorium Reader (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Mobile
- PocketBook Reader (iOS and Android)
These are the readers we've tested most extensively and have found to provide the most consistent experience for our global learning community.
Transition Timeline
We know many schools have built their classroom documentation, IT images, and student instructions around Adobe Digital Editions.
Beginning August 15, 2026, Avid Learning will officially transition all newly published eBooks to Readium LCP as our standard DRM platform.
To make the transition as smooth as possible, we will continue offering Adobe DRM versions of our eBooks for a limited time for institutions that need additional time to update classroom images, documentation, and deployment processes. Our goal is to give every school the flexibility to migrate at a pace that works best for them while moving toward a simpler, more modern reading experience.
After the transition period, Readium LCP will become the standard DRM technology for all Avid Learning eBooks.
Ready to Try It?
If you'd like to test Readium LCP before your institution transitions, we'd be happy to help.
Simply email [email protected] with the subject line:
Readium LCP Test File
We'll send you a sample eBook so you can experience the new workflow before rolling it out to your students or instructors.
We're incredibly excited about this transition and appreciate your feedback throughout the process. We believe Readium LCP will provide a much better experience for everyone in the Avid Learning community, and we look forward to supporting you through the rollout.
Thank you for being part of Avid Learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Avid Learning moving away from Adobe DRM?
Adobe DRM requires Adobe Digital Editions and Adobe IDs—both of which have historically created installation, activation, and compatibility challenges. Readium LCP provides a simpler, more modern reading experience while maintaining strong content protection.
What is Readium LCP?
Readium LCP is an open-source digital rights management (DRM) standard developed by the Readium Foundation and EDRLab. Unlike proprietary DRM systems, Readium LCP is designed around interoperability, privacy, accessibility, and long-term sustainability.
Do I need an Adobe ID?
No. One of the biggest benefits of Readium LCP is that Adobe accounts are no longer required.
Which reader should I use?
Desktop: Thorium Reader
Recommended for:
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Mobile: PocketBook Reader
Recommended for:
- iPhone
- iPad
- Android
Why doesn't Avid recommend every Readium reader?
Readium LCP is an open standard, meaning many developers have created compatible reading applications. However, compatibility and implementation quality vary between readers. Working closely with EditionGuard, we've chosen to officially recommend Thorium and PocketBook because they're the readers we've tested the most and consistently provide the best experience. Other readers may work, but they are not part of our official support documentation.
What about Vivlio?
Vivlio is part of the broader Readium ecosystem and is widely used in Europe. While earlier EditionGuard materials referenced Vivlio, the current official recommendations from EditionGuard are Thorium and PocketBook, as these are the applications they have the most experience supporting.
What about DITA Reader?
DITA Reader is another Readium-compatible application. However, like Vivlio, it is not currently one of the officially recommended readers for Avid Learning.
What about Cantook?
EditionGuard is currently evaluating Cantook. While it shows promise, it has not yet been fully validated for our production environment.
Why only two recommended readers?
This is actually one of Readium LCP's strengths. Rather than supporting dozens of inconsistent applications, the ecosystem focuses on a smaller number of well-maintained readers that provide a consistent experience.
Will Adobe DRM books disappear immediately?
No. For a limited transition period, Adobe DRM versions of Avid Learning eBooks will continue to be available.
This allows schools and enterprise customers time to:
- Update IT images
- Revise classroom documentation
- Train instructors
- Transition students at their own pace
Which reader should schools recommend?
For all regions, Avid recommends:
| Platform | Recommended Reader |
| Windows | Thorium |
| macOS | Thorium |
| Linux | Thorium |
| iPhone/iPad | PocketBook |
| Android | PocketBook |
Although regional preferences exist, we've found these readers to be the most reliable worldwide.
PocketBook has particularly strong adoption across Europe, while Thorium has been widely adopted in educational institutions around the world.
Can students use other readers?
Possibly. Since Readium LCP is an open standard, additional compatible readers may work. However, Avid Learning support documentation and customer support will focus on Thorium and PocketBook because those are the readers we have tested extensively and can confidently support.
Will this affect existing course content?
No. Only the DRM technology is changing. Your books, content, and learning experience remain exactly the same.
Why is this good for schools?
Schools benefit from:
- Simpler student onboarding
- No Adobe account management
- Better privacy
- Cross-platform support
- Easier classroom deployment
- Fewer technical support requests
- A future-proof, open standard backed by the Readium Foundation
At Avid Learning, our mission is to remove barriers between learners and learning. Moving to Readium LCP is another step toward delivering a simpler, more reliable, and more modern experience for educators and students around the world.