diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 33f21da..603ab84 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 include README.md MANIFEST.in setup.py .gitignore
-recursive-include idlbridge *.py *.pyx *.pxd *.pxi *.pro VERSION
+recursive-include idlbridge *.py *.pyx *.pxd *.pxi *.pro
 recursive-include dev *
diff --git a/idlbridge/VERSION b/idlbridge/VERSION
deleted file mode 100644
index 1cc5f65..0000000
--- a/idlbridge/VERSION
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-1.1.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/idlbridge/__init__.py b/idlbridge/__init__.py
index de451ef..3bda4e2 100644
--- a/idlbridge/__init__.py
+++ b/idlbridge/__init__.py
@@ -26,9 +26,15 @@
 import ctypes as _ctypes
 from . import _core
 
+try:
+    from importlib.metadata import version
+except ImportError:
+    # try-except can be removed if requires-python set to >= 3.8
+    from importlib_metadata import version
+
 __author__ = 'Dr. Alex Meakins'
 __responsible_officer__ = 'Dr. Alex Meakins'
-__version__ = "1.1.0"
+__version__ = version("idlbridge")
 
 # By default the core (IDL) library is opened by Python with RTLD_LOCAL
 # preventing subsequently loaded IDL DLM libraries from seeing the IDL_*
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index eb1fbad..c33bcd3 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@
     name="idlbridge",
     version=__version__,
     description="An IDL wrapper for Python",
+    requires_python=">=3.4",
     author='Dr. Alex Meakins',
     author_email='alex.meakins@ukaea.uk',
     license="LGPLv3",
@@ -96,8 +97,9 @@
         "Operating System :: POSIX :: Linux",
         "Topic :: Scientific/Engineering"
     ],
-#     setup_requires=["cython>=0.19"],
-#     install_requires=["cython>=0.19"],
+    install_requires=[
+        "importlib_metadata>=0.1 ; python_version < \"3.8\"",
+    ],
     packages=["idlbridge"],
     ext_modules=cythonize(extensions, force=force, compiler_directives=directives)
 )