diff --git a/src/BaseIO.cpp b/src/BaseIO.cpp
index 353f709d..5a7b08eb 100644
--- a/src/BaseIO.cpp
+++ b/src/BaseIO.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,17 @@ Status BaseIO::createTimestampsAttributes(const std::string& path)
   return Status::Success;
 }
 
+std::unique_ptr<ReadDatasetWrapper> BaseIO::lazyReadDataset(const std::string& dataPath)
+{
+  return std::make_unique<ReadDatasetWrapper>(std::shared_ptr<BaseIO>(this), dataPath);
+}
+
+std::unique_ptr<ReadAttributeWrapper> BaseIO::lazyReadAttribute(const std::string& dataPath)
+{
+  return std::make_unique<ReadAttributeWrapper>(std::shared_ptr<BaseIO>(this), dataPath);
+}
+
+
 // BaseRecordingData
 
 BaseRecordingData::BaseRecordingData() {}
diff --git a/src/BaseIO.hpp b/src/BaseIO.hpp
index c5ed0ee3..a852971e 100644
--- a/src/BaseIO.hpp
+++ b/src/BaseIO.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ namespace AQNWB
 {
 
 class BaseRecordingData;
+class ReadDatasetWrapper;
+class ReadAttributeWrapper;
 
 /**
  * @brief Represents a base data type.
@@ -206,6 +208,15 @@ class BaseIO
       const std::vector<SizeType>& stride = {},
       const std::vector<SizeType>& block = {}) = 0;
 
+  /**
+   * @brief Create a ReadDatasetWrapper for a dataset for lazy reading
+   *
+   * @param dataPath The path to the dataset within the file.
+   *
+   * @return A ReadDatasetWrapper object for lazy reading from the dataset
+   */
+  virtual std::unique_ptr<ReadDatasetWrapper> lazyReadDataset(const std::string& dataPath);
+
   /**
    * @brief Reads a attribute  and determines the data type
    *
@@ -219,6 +230,15 @@ class BaseIO
    */
   virtual DataBlockGeneric readAttribute(const std::string& dataPath) = 0;
 
+   /**
+   * @brief Create a ReadAttributeWrapper for an attribute for lazy reading
+   *
+   * @param dataPath The path to the dataset within the file.
+   *
+   * @return A ReadAttributeWrapper object for lazy reading from the dataset
+   */
+  virtual std::unique_ptr<ReadAttributeWrapper> lazyReadAttribute(const std::string& dataPath);
+
   /**
    * @brief Creates an attribute at a given location in the file.
    * @param type The base data type of the attribute.
@@ -447,7 +467,7 @@ class ReadDatasetWrapper
   /**
    * @brief Default constructor.
    */
-  ReadDatasetWrapper();
+  ReadDatasetWrapper(std::shared_ptr<BaseIO> io, std::string dataPath) : io(io), dataPath(dataPath) {}
 
   /**
    * @brief Deleted copy constructor to prevent construction-copying.
@@ -462,7 +482,7 @@ class ReadDatasetWrapper
   /**
    * @brief Destructor.
    */
-  virtual ~ReadDatasetWrapper();
+  virtual ~ReadDatasetWrapper(){}
 
   /**
    * @brief Reads an dataset or attribute and determines the data type.
@@ -495,7 +515,7 @@ class ReadDatasetWrapper
    *
    * @return A DataBlock structure containing the data and shape.
    */
-  template<typename T>
+  template <typename T>
   DataBlock<T> values(const std::vector<SizeType>& start = {},
                       const std::vector<SizeType>& count = {},
                       const std::vector<SizeType>& stride = {},
@@ -526,7 +546,7 @@ class ReadAttributeWrapper
   /**
    * @brief Default constructor.
    */
-  ReadAttributeWrapper();
+  ReadAttributeWrapper(std::shared_ptr<BaseIO> io, std::string dataPath) : io(io), dataPath(dataPath) {}
 
   /**
    * @brief Deleted copy constructor to prevent construction-copying.
@@ -541,7 +561,7 @@ class ReadAttributeWrapper
   /**
    * @brief Destructor.
    */
-  virtual ~ReadAttributeWrapper();
+  virtual ~ReadAttributeWrapper(){}
 
   /**
    * @brief Reads an attribute and determines the data type.