diff --git a/vpython/__init__.py b/vpython/__init__.py
index 1c17f05..c3d0271 100644
--- a/vpython/__init__.py
+++ b/vpython/__init__.py
@@ -1,49 +1,49 @@
-from pkg_resources import get_distribution, DistributionNotFound
-
-from .gs_version import glowscript_version
-
-try:
-    __version__ = get_distribution(__name__).version
-except DistributionNotFound:
-    # package is not installed
-    pass
-__gs_version__ = glowscript_version()
-
-del glowscript_version
-del get_distribution
-del DistributionNotFound
-
-# Keep the remaining imports later to  ensure that __version__ and
-#  __gs_version__ exist before importing vpython, which itself imports
-# both of those.
-
-from ._notebook_helpers import __is_spyder
-
-from .vpython import canvas
-
-# Need to initialize canvas before user does anything and before
-scene = canvas()
-
-from .vpython import *
-from .shapespaths import *
-from ._vector_import_helper import *
-from .rate_control import rate
-
-# vpython is showing up in the
-# namespace, so delete them
-del vpython
-
-# cyvector may be in the namespace. Get rid of it
-try:
-    del cyvector
-except NameError:
-    pass
-
-# import for backwards compatibility
-from math import *
-from numpy import arange
-from random import random
-
-if __is_spyder():
-    from ._notebook_helpers import _warn_if_spyder_settings_wrong
-    _warn_if_spyder_settings_wrong()
+from importlib.metadata import version, PackageNotFoundError
+
+from .gs_version import glowscript_version
+
+try:
+    __version__ = version(__name__)
+except PackageNotFoundError:
+    # package is not installed
+    pass
+__gs_version__ = glowscript_version()
+
+del glowscript_version
+del version
+del PackageNotFoundError
+
+# Keep the remaining imports later to  ensure that __version__ and
+#  __gs_version__ exist before importing vpython, which itself imports
+# both of those.
+
+from ._notebook_helpers import __is_spyder
+
+from .vpython import canvas
+
+# Need to initialize canvas before user does anything and before
+scene = canvas()
+
+from .vpython import *
+from .shapespaths import *
+from ._vector_import_helper import *
+from .rate_control import rate
+
+# vpython is showing up in the
+# namespace, so delete them
+del vpython
+
+# cyvector may be in the namespace. Get rid of it
+try:
+    del cyvector
+except NameError:
+    pass
+
+# import for backwards compatibility
+from math import *
+from numpy import arange
+from random import random
+
+if __is_spyder():
+    from ._notebook_helpers import _warn_if_spyder_settings_wrong
+    _warn_if_spyder_settings_wrong()