diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index dc8556e..d87f5f9 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ Repository = "https://github.com/PolusAI/bfio"
 
 
 [tool.setuptools.dynamic]
-version = {attr = "bfio.__version__"}
+version = {file = ["src/bfio/VERSION"]}
 
 
 [tool.setuptools]
diff --git a/src/bfio/__init__.py b/src/bfio/__init__.py
index 5591eec..87fa03a 100644
--- a/src/bfio/__init__.py
+++ b/src/bfio/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 import logging
 import pathlib
+from typing import Any
 
 JAR_VERSION = None
 
@@ -16,15 +17,29 @@
 
 try:
     with open(pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath("VERSION"), "r") as fh:
-        __version__ = fh.read()
+        __version__ = fh.read().strip()
 except FileNotFoundError:
     logger.info(
         "Could not find VERSION. "
-        + "This is likely due to using a local/cloned version of bfio."
+        "This is likely due to using a local/cloned version of bfio."
     )
     __version__ = "0.0.0"
-logger.info("VERSION = {}".format(__version__))
 
+logger.info("VERSION = %s", __version__)
 
-from .bfio import BioReader, BioWriter  # NOQA: F401, E402
-from .utils import start  # NOQA: F401, E402
+# same public API but with lazy imports
+__all__ = ["BioReader", "BioWriter", "start", "__version__", "JAR_VERSION", "log_level"]
+
+
+def __getattr__(name: str) -> Any:
+    if name in ("BioReader", "BioWriter"):
+        from .bfio import BioReader, BioWriter  # local import (lazy)
+
+        return BioReader if name == "BioReader" else BioWriter
+
+    if name == "start":
+        from .utils import start  # local import (lazy)
+
+        return start
+
+    raise AttributeError(f"module {__name__!r} has no attribute {name!r}")