diff --git a/augur/io/__init__.py b/augur/io/__init__.py
index f397c0da2..31421f1e2 100644
--- a/augur/io/__init__.py
+++ b/augur/io/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,6 @@
 """Interfaces for reading and writing data also known as input/output (I/O)
 """
+# Functions and variables exposed here are part of Augur's public Python API.
+# To use functions internally, import directly from the submodule.
+from .metadata import read_metadata
+from .sequences import read_sequences
diff --git a/docs/api/public/augur.io.rst b/docs/api/public/augur.io.rst
index 34f819c76..4b9b6880f 100644
--- a/docs/api/public/augur.io.rst
+++ b/docs/api/public/augur.io.rst
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 augur.io
 ========
 
+.. The public API portion of augur.io is everything that is exposed by io/__init__.py.
+
 .. automodule:: augur.io
-   :members: read_metadata, read_sequences
+   :members:
+   :imported-members:
    :undoc-members:
    :show-inheritance: