diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 4860c20..996bf33 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -739,6 +739,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "flate2",
  "improvise-core",
  "improvise-formula",
+ "improvise-io",
  "indexmap",
  "pest",
  "pest_derive",
@@ -775,6 +776,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "improvise-io"
+version = "0.1.0-rc2"
+dependencies = [
+ "anyhow",
+ "chrono",
+ "csv",
+ "flate2",
+ "improvise-core",
+ "improvise-formula",
+ "indexmap",
+ "pest",
+ "pest_derive",
+ "pest_meta",
+ "proptest",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
+ "tempfile",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "indexmap"
 version = "2.14.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 55b98d2..e90d07f 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [workspace]
-members = [".", "crates/improvise-formula", "crates/improvise-core"]
+members = [".", "crates/improvise-formula", "crates/improvise-core", "crates/improvise-io"]
 
 [package]
 name = "improvise"
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ path = "src/main.rs"
 [dependencies]
 improvise-core = { path = "crates/improvise-core" }
 improvise-formula = { path = "crates/improvise-formula" }
+improvise-io = { path = "crates/improvise-io" }
 ratatui = "0.30"
 crossterm = "0.29"
 serde = { version = "1", features = ["derive"] }
diff --git a/crates/improvise-io/Cargo.toml b/crates/improvise-io/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6366fa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/improvise-io/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+[package]
+name = "improvise-io"
+version = "0.1.0-rc2"
+edition = "2024"
+description = "Persistence and import for improvise (.improv format, CSV, JSON wizard)"
+license = "Apache-2.0"
+repository = "https://github.com/fiddlerwoaroof/improvise"
+
+[dependencies]
+improvise-core = { path = "../improvise-core" }
+improvise-formula = { path = "../improvise-formula" }
+anyhow = "1"
+chrono = { version = "0.4", features = ["serde"] }
+csv = "1"
+flate2 = "1"
+indexmap = { version = "2", features = ["serde"] }
+pest = "2.8.6"
+pest_derive = "2.8.6"
+serde = { version = "1", features = ["derive"] }
+serde_json = "1"
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+pest_meta = "2.8.6"
+proptest = "1"
+tempfile = "3"
diff --git a/crates/improvise-io/src/lib.rs b/crates/improvise-io/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9bdd4fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/improvise-io/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+//! I/O layer for `improvise`: `.improv` persistence (parse/format, save/load,
+//! CSV export) and import (CSV/JSON wizard, field analyzer).
+//!
+//! Depends on `improvise-core` for the data model (`Model`, `View`,
+//! `Workbook`, `CellKey`, `CellValue`, `GridLayout`, `Axis`, `Group`) and on
+//! `improvise-formula` for formula parsing. Has no awareness of UI or
+//! commands — builds standalone via `cargo build -p improvise-io`.
+//!
+//! Re-exports the core modules under their conventional names so code in
+//! this crate can keep using `crate::model::*`, `crate::view::*`,
+//! `crate::workbook::*`, `crate::format::*`, and `crate::formula::*` paths.
+//!
+//! Scaffolded empty in this commit; the modules land in the next commit.
+pub use improvise_core::{format, model, view, workbook};
+pub use improvise_formula as formula;