A database system carries out a technique for use in delivering data of a user-defined type to a requesting system. The system first receives a request from the requesting system for data of the user-defined type. The system then identifies a storage location for the requested data, as well as a storage location for program code designed to allow manipulation of the requested data on the requesting system. The system then retrieves both the requested data and the program code from their respective storage locations and delivers both the requested data and the program code to the requesting system.