diff --git a/scikits/image/io/__init__.py b/scikits/image/io/__init__.py
index 81720250..96700a12 100644
--- a/scikits/image/io/__init__.py
+++ b/scikits/image/io/__init__.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
-"""Utilities to read and write images in various formats."""
+__doc__ = """Utilities to read and write images in various formats.
+
+The following plug-ins are available:
+
+"""
 
 from _plugins import load as load_plugin
 from _plugins import use as use_plugin
 from _plugins import available as plugins
+from _plugins import info as plugin_info
 
 # Add this plugin so that we can read images by default
 load_plugin('pil')
@@ -11,3 +16,33 @@ from sift import *
 from collection import *
 
 from io import *
+
+def _update_doc(doc):
+    """Add a list of plugins to the module docstring, formatted as
+    a ReStructuredText table.
+
+    """
+    from textwrap import wrap
+
+    info = [(p, plugin_info(p)) for p in plugins() if not p == 'test']
+    col_1_len = max([len(n) for (n, _) in info])
+
+    wrap_len = 73
+    col_2_len = wrap_len - 1 - col_1_len
+
+    # Insert table header
+    info.insert(0, ('=' * col_1_len, {'description': '=' * col_2_len}))
+    info.insert(1, ('Plugin', {'description': 'Description'}))
+    info.insert(2, ('-' * col_1_len, {'description': '-' * col_2_len}))
+    info.append(   ('=' * col_1_len, {'description': '=' * col_2_len}))
+
+    for (name, meta_data) in info:
+        wrapped_descr = wrap(meta_data.get('description', ''),
+                             col_2_len)
+        doc += "%s %s\n" % (name.ljust(col_1_len),
+                            '\n'.join(wrapped_descr))
+    doc = doc.strip()
+
+    return doc
+
+__doc__ = _update_doc(__doc__)