Our History
Our History
A lot has changed since Linda Weigl first started publishing educational materials more than 30 years ago. From her beginnings in textbook publishing to her development of curriculum-based library resources, Linda has remained committed to creating high-quality content that teachers and students alike can count on. Today, Lightbox Learning is the culmination of these efforts and has evolved into one of North America’s premier educational technology companies.
2001
Linda launches Weigl Publishers Inc. (WPI).
2010
WPI introduces its AV2 product line of media enhanced books.
2011
WPI is invited to present its publications at the 2011 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, leading to a long-term distribution deal that sees more than 34,500 AV2 Arabic editions shipped to schools in the Middle East.
2011
AV2 wins the Association of Educational Publishers’ Distinguished Achievement Award for Technology and New Media, Multimedia Application.
2013
AV2 enriches its portfolio with the addition of its Spanish and Fiction imprints.
2015
Smartbook Media Inc. (SMI) is added to the WPI group of companies. Lightbox, SMI’s digital learning solution for the classroom, launches across North America.
2016
AV2 debuts its EyeDiscover imprint, a fusion of text, audio, and video designed to help reluctant K-2 readers.
2016
Lightbox wins the Tech and Learning ISTE Best of Show Award and is a SIIA CODiE Award finalist.
2017
AV2 releases its World Languages program, which is intended to help early readers with other languages, and support diversity and multiculturalism.
2019
WPI redesigns its AV2 platform, complete with a new logo and new website.
2020
To help educators cope with the demands of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lightbox introduces its digital subscriptions program, offering temporary unlimited access to schools at no cost.
2020
Lightbox receives the Platinum distinction at the 2021 Modern Library Awards.
2021
WPI and SMI join together to create a new company called Lightbox Learning.
2022
We learned that our K–12 Lightbox Learning subscription received the Best of 2022 Primary Education award at the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence.
2024
Lightbox expands its publishing program to include 20 languages. Digital subscriptions are sold in more than 65 countries.
2024
Lightbox creates a new product line called paired reading. This curated collection pairs one fiction title with one nonfiction title in the same hardcover book.
