diff --git a/read-fonts/src/lib.rs b/read-fonts/src/lib.rs
index 02d8190bc..65d832d10 100644
--- a/read-fonts/src/lib.rs
+++ b/read-fonts/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,57 @@
-//! Parsing OpentType tables.
+//! Reading OpenType tables
+//!
+//! This crate provides memory safe zero-allocation parsing of font files.
+//! It is unopinionated, and attempts to provide raw access to the underlying
+//! font data as it is described in the [OpenType specification][spec].
+//!
+//! This crate is intended for use by other parts of a font stack, such as a
+//! shaping engine or a glyph rasterizer.
+//!
+//! In addition to raw data access, this crate may also provide reference
+//! implementations of algorithms for interpreting that data, where such an
+//! implementation is required for the data to be useful. For instance, we
+//! provide functions for [mapping codepoints to glyph identifiers][cmap-impl]
+//! using the `cmap` table, or for [decoding entries in the `name` table][NameString].
+//!
+//! ## Structure & codegen
+//!
+//! The root [`tables`] module contains a submodule for each supported
+//! [table][table-directory], and that submodule contains items for each table,
+//! record, flagset or enum described in the relevant portion of the spec.
+//!
+//! The majority of the code in the tables module is auto-generated. For more
+//! information on our use of codegen, see the [codegen tour].
+//!
+//! # Related projects
+//!
+//! - [`write-fonts`] is a companion crate for creating/modifying font files
+//! - [`skrifa`] provides access to glyph outlines and metadata (in the same vein
+//!   as [freetype])
+//!
+//! # Example
+//!
+//! ```no_run
+//! # let path_to_my_font_file = std::path::Path::new("");
+//! use read_fonts::{FontRef, TableProvider};
+//! let font_bytes = std::fs::read(path_to_my_font_file).unwrap();
+//! // Single fonts only. for font collections (.ttc) use FontRef::from_index
+//! let font = FontRef::new(&font_bytes).expect("failed to read font data");
+//! let head = font.head().expect("missing 'head' table");
+//! let maxp = font.maxp().expect("missing 'maxp' table");
+//!
+//! println!("font version {} containing {} glyphs", head.font_revision(), maxp.num_glyphs());
+//! ```
+//!
+//!
+//! [spec]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/opentype/spec/
+//! [codegen-tour]: https://github.com/googlefonts/fontations/blob/main/docs/codegen-tour.md
+//! [cmap-impl]: tables::cmap::Cmap::map_codepoint
+//! [`write-fonts`]: https://docs.rs/write-fonts/
+//! [`skrifa`]: https://docs.rs/skrifa/
+//! [freetype]: http://freetype.org
+//! [codegen tour]: https://github.com/googlefonts/fontations/blob/main/docs/codegen-tour.md
+//! [NameString]: tables::name::NameString
+//! [table-directory]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/opentype/spec/otff#table-directory
 
 #![deny(rustdoc::broken_intra_doc_links)]
 #![cfg_attr(not(feature = "std"), no_std)]
@@ -195,9 +248,12 @@ pub struct FontRef<'a> {
 impl<'a> FontRef<'a> {
     /// Creates a new reference to an in-memory font backed by the given data.
     ///
-    /// The data slice must begin with a
-    /// [table directory](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/opentype/spec/otff#table-directory)
-    /// to be considered valid.
+    /// The data must be a single font (not a font collection) and must begin with a
+    /// [table directory] to be considered valid.
+    ///
+    /// To load a font from a font collection, use [`FontRef::from_index`] instead.
+    ///
+    /// [table directory]: https://github.com/googlefonts/fontations/pull/549
     pub fn new(data: &'a [u8]) -> Result<Self, ReadError> {
         let data = FontData::new(data);
         Self::with_table_directory(data, TableDirectory::read(data)?)
diff --git a/read-fonts/src/offset.rs b/read-fonts/src/offset.rs
index 68c744db4..f14549551 100644
--- a/read-fonts/src/offset.rs
+++ b/read-fonts/src/offset.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ impl_offset!(Offset16, 2);
 impl_offset!(Offset24, 3);
 impl_offset!(Offset32, 4);
 
-/// a (temporary?) helper trait to blanket impl a resolve method for types::Offset
+/// A helper trait providing a 'resolve' method for offset types
 pub trait ResolveOffset {
     fn resolve<'a, T: FontRead<'a>>(&self, data: FontData<'a>) -> Result<T, ReadError>;
 
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ pub trait ResolveOffset {
     ) -> Result<T, ReadError>;
 }
 
+/// A helper trait providing a 'resolve' method for nullable offset types
 pub trait ResolveNullableOffset {
     fn resolve<'a, T: FontRead<'a>>(&self, data: FontData<'a>) -> Option<Result<T, ReadError>>;
 
diff --git a/read-fonts/src/tables/cmap.rs b/read-fonts/src/tables/cmap.rs
index 57bb916cf..330727342 100644
--- a/read-fonts/src/tables/cmap.rs
+++ b/read-fonts/src/tables/cmap.rs
@@ -14,8 +14,14 @@ pub enum MapVariant {
 }
 
 impl<'a> Cmap<'a> {
-    /// Maps a codepoint to a nominal glyph identifier using the first
-    /// available subtable that provides a valid mapping.
+    /// Map a codepoint to a nominal glyph identifier
+    ///
+    /// This uses the first available subtable that provides a valid mapping.
+    ///
+    /// # Note:
+    ///
+    /// Mapping logic is currently only implemented for the most common subtable
+    /// formats.
     pub fn map_codepoint(&self, codepoint: impl Into<u32>) -> Option<GlyphId> {
         let codepoint = codepoint.into();
         for record in self.encoding_records() {