diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25f64cbde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Python Spatial Analysis Library Core
+
+[![Continuous Integration](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/actions/workflows/unittests.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/actions/workflows/unittests.yml)
+[![codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/pysal/libpysal/branch/main/graph/badge.svg)](https://codecov.io/gh/pysal/libpysal)
+[![PyPI version](https://badge.fury.io/py/libpysal.svg)](https://badge.fury.io/py/libpysal)
+[![Conda Version](https://img.shields.io/conda/vn/conda-forge/libpysal.svg)](https://anaconda.org/conda-forge/libpysal)
+[![DOI](https://zenodo.org/badge/81501824.svg)](https://zenodo.org/badge/latestdoi/81501824)
+   
+## libpysal modules
+
+- `libpysal.cg` –  Computational geometry
+- `libpysal.io` –  Input and output
+- `libpysal.weights` –  Spatial weights
+- `libpysal.examples` –  Built-in example datasets
+
+## Example Notebooks
+
+- [Spatial Weights](notebooks/weights.ipynb)
+- [Voronoi](notebooks/voronoi.ipynb)
+- [Input and Output](notebooks/io.ipynb)
+
+## Development
+
+libpysal development is hosted on [github](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal).
+
+Discussions of development occurs on the [developer list](http://groups.google.com/group/pysal-dev) as well as [gitter](https://gitter.im/pysal/pysal?).
+
+## Contributing
+
+PySAL-libpysal is under active development and contributors are welcome. If you have any suggestions, feature requests, or bug reports, please open new [issues](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/issues) on GitHub. To submit patches, please review [PySAL's documentation for developers](https://pysal.org/docs/devs/), the PySAL [development guidelines](https://github.com/pysal/pysal/wiki), and the [libpysal contributing guidelines](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/blob/main/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md)
+before opening a [pull request](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/pulls). Once your changes get merged, you’ll automatically be added to the [Contributors List](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/graphs/contributors).
+
+## Bug reports
+
+To search for or report bugs, please see [libpysal's issues](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/issues).
+
+## License information
+
+See [LICENSE.txt](https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/blob/main/LICENSE.txt) for information on the history of this software, terms & conditions for usage, and a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES.
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 12ad3f57f..000000000
--- a/README.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-Python Spatial Analysis Library Core
-====================================
-
-
-.. image:: https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/workflows/.github/workflows/unittests.yml/badge.svg
-    :target: https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/actions?query=workflow%3A.github%2Fworkflows%2Funittests.yml
-   
-.. image:: https://codecov.io/gh/pysal/libpysal/branch/main/graph/badge.svg
-    :target: https://codecov.io/gh/pysal/libpysal
-
-.. image:: https://badge.fury.io/py/libpysal.svg
-    :target: https://badge.fury.io/py/libpysal
-
-.. image:: https://img.shields.io/conda/vn/conda-forge/libpysal.svg
-    :target: https://anaconda.org/conda-forge/libpysal
-
-.. image:: https://zenodo.org/badge/81501824.svg
-    :target: https://zenodo.org/badge/latestdoi/81501824
-
-
-****************
-libpysal modules
-****************
-
-- libpysal.cg  Computational geometry
-- libpysal.io  Input and output
-- libpysal.weights  Spatial weights
-- libpysal.examples  Built-in example datasets
-
-
-*****************
-Example Notebooks
-*****************
-- `Spatial Weights  <notebooks/weights.ipynb>`_
-- `Voronoi  <notebooks/voronoi.ipynb>`_
-- `Input and Output <notebooks/io.ipynb>`_
-
-
-***********
-Development
-***********
-
-libpysal development is hosted on github_.
-
-.. _github : https://github.com/pysal/libpysal
-
-Discussions of development occurs on the
-`developer list <http://groups.google.com/group/pysal-dev>`_
-as well as gitter_.
-
-.. _gitter : https://gitter.im/pysal/pysal?
-
-************
-Contributing
-************
-
-PySAL-libpysal is under active development and contributors are welcome.
-If you have any suggestions, feature requests, or bug reports, 
-please open new `issues <https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/issues>`_ on GitHub. 
-To submit patches, please review `PySAL's documentation for developers <https://pysal.org/docs/devs/>`_, 
-the PySAL `development guidelines <https://github.com/pysal/pysal/wiki>`_, 
-the `libpysal contributing guidelines <https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/blob/main/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md>`_
-before  opening a `pull request <https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/pulls>`_. 
-Once your changes get merged, you’ll automatically be added to 
-the `Contributors List <https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/graphs/contributors>`_.
-
-
-***********
-Bug reports
-***********
-
-To search for or report bugs, please see `libpysal's issues <https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/issues>`_.
-
-
-*******************
-License information
-*******************
-
-See the `LICENSE <https://github.com/pysal/libpysal/blob/main/LICENSE.txt>`_
-for information on the history of this software, terms & conditions for usage,
-and a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 0bcd487e2..dd289289d 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ maintainers = [{ name = "PySAL Developers" }]
 license = { text = "BSD 3-Clause" }
 description = "Core components of PySAL - A library of spatial analysis functions"
 keywords = ["spatial statistics", "spatial graphs"]
-readme = "README.rst"
+readme = "README.md"
 classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
     "License :: OSI Approved :: BSD License",