diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index aa871e1b..060614f9 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 version: 2.1
 orbs:
-  docker: circleci/docker@2.2.0
-  codecov: codecov/codecov@3.2.4
+  docker: circleci/docker@2.4.0
+  codecov: codecov/codecov@3.3.0
 
 jobs:
   test_pytest:
-    docker: # executor type
-      - image: nipreps/miniconda:py39_2209.01
+    docker:
+      - image: cimg/python:3.12
         auth:
           username: $DOCKER_USER
           password: $DOCKER_PAT
@@ -16,14 +16,13 @@ jobs:
       - TEMPLATEFLOW_HOME: /tmp/templateflow
     steps:
       - checkout
+      - run:
+          name: Install package
+          command: pip install .[test]
 
       - restore_cache:
           keys:
-            - tf-v0-{{ .Branch }}-{{ .Revision }}
-            - tf-v0--{{ .Revision }}
-            - tf-v0-{{ .Branch }}-
-            - tf-v0-master-
-            - tf-v0-
+            - tf-v0
           paths:
             - /tmp/templateflow
 
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
             python -c "from templateflow.api import get; get('MNI152NLin6Asym', resolution=2, desc='LR', suffix='T1w')"
 
       - save_cache:
-         key: tf-v0-{{ .Branch }}-{{ .Revision }}
+         key: tf-v0
          paths:
             - /tmp/templateflow
 
@@ -59,37 +58,6 @@ jobs:
           flags: unittests
 
 
-  build_docs:
-    docker: # executor type
-      - image: nipreps/miniconda:py39_2209.01
-        auth:
-          username: $DOCKER_USER
-          password: $DOCKER_PAT
-
-    environment:
-      - FSLOUTPUTTYPE: NIFTI
-      - SUBJECTS_DIR: /tmp/subjects
-    steps:
-      - checkout
-      - run:
-          name: Create subjects folder
-          command: mkdir -p $SUBJECTS_DIR
-      - run:
-          name: Install deps
-          command: |
-            python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U "pip>=20.3"
-      - run:
-          name: Install Nireports
-          command: |
-            python -m pip install .[docs]
-      - run:
-          name: Build only this commit
-          command: |
-            BRANCH=$( echo $CIRCLE_BRANCH | sed 's+/+_+g' )
-            make -C docs SPHINXOPTS="-W" BUILDDIR="/tmp/docs" OUTDIR=${CIRCLE_TAG:-$BRANCH} html
-      - store_artifacts:
-          path: /tmp/docs
-
 workflows:
   version: 2
   build_test_deploy:
@@ -103,11 +71,3 @@ workflows:
             branches:
               ignore:
                 - /docs?\/.*/
-
-      - build_docs:
-          filters:
-            branches:
-              ignore:
-                - /tests?\/.*/
-            tags:
-              only: /.*/
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_test_deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/build_test_deploy.yml
index 0087b21c..b41c18a3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_test_deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_test_deploy.yml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         #os: ['ubuntu-latest', 'windows-latest', 'macos-latest']
         os: ['ubuntu-latest']
-        python-version: [3.8, 3.9, '3.10']
+        python-version: [3.8, 3.9, '3.10', '3.11', '3.12']
         architecture: ['x64', 'x86']
         package: ['.', 'dist/*.whl', 'dist/*.tar.gz']
         exclude:
@@ -80,24 +80,19 @@ jobs:
       TEMPLATEFLOW_HOME: /tmp/templateflow
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Fetch packages
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
         with:
           name: dist
           path: dist/
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
           architecture: ${{ matrix.architecture }}
       - name: Display Python version
         run: python -c "import sys; print(sys.version)"
-      - name: Generate requirements file and install them
-        run: |
-          python -m pip install --upgrade pip-tools
-          python -m piptools compile --output-file=requirements.txt pyproject.toml
-          pip install -r requirements.txt
 
       - name: Install package
         run: pip install $PACKAGE
diff --git a/nireports/__init__.py b/nireports/__init__.py
index d26313e2..c71de6b1 100644
--- a/nireports/__init__.py
+++ b/nireports/__init__.py
@@ -27,11 +27,10 @@
 try:
     from ._version import __version__
 except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    from pkg_resources import DistributionNotFound, get_distribution
-
+    from importlib.metadata import version, PackageNotFoundError
     try:
-        __version__ = get_distribution(__packagename__).version
-    except DistributionNotFound:
-        __version__ = "unknown"
-    del get_distribution
-    del DistributionNotFound
+        __version__ = version(__packagename__)
+    except PackageNotFoundError:
+        __version__ = "0+unknown"
+    del version
+    del PackageNotFoundError
diff --git a/nireports/assembler/data/__init__.py b/nireports/assembler/data/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fab31927
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nireports/assembler/data/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+"""Nireports assembler data files
+
+.. autofunction:: load
+
+.. automethod:: load.readable
+
+.. automethod:: load.as_path
+
+.. automethod:: load.cached
+
+.. autoclass:: Loader
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import atexit
+import os
+from contextlib import AbstractContextManager, ExitStack
+from functools import cached_property
+from pathlib import Path
+from types import ModuleType
+from typing import Union
+
+try:
+    from functools import cache
+except ImportError:  # PY38
+    from functools import lru_cache as cache
+
+try:  # Prefer backport to leave consistency to dependency spec
+    from importlib_resources import as_file, files
+except ImportError:
+    from importlib.resources import as_file, files  # type: ignore
+
+try:  # Prefer stdlib so Sphinx can link to authoritative documentation
+    from importlib.resources.abc import Traversable
+except ImportError:
+    from importlib_resources.abc import Traversable
+
+__all__ = ["load"]
+
+
+class Loader:
+    """A loader for package files relative to a module
+
+    This class wraps :mod:`importlib.resources` to provide a getter
+    function with an interpreter-lifetime scope. For typical packages
+    it simply passes through filesystem paths as :class:`~pathlib.Path`
+    objects. For zipped distributions, it will unpack the files into
+    a temporary directory that is cleaned up on interpreter exit.
+
+    This loader accepts a fully-qualified module name or a module
+    object.
+
+    Expected usage::
+
+        '''Data package
+
+        .. autofunction:: load_data
+
+        .. automethod:: load_data.readable
+
+        .. automethod:: load_data.as_path
+
+        .. automethod:: load_data.cached
+        '''
+
+        from nireports.assembler.data import Loader
+
+        load_data = Loader(__package__)
+
+    :class:`~Loader` objects implement the :func:`callable` interface
+    and generate a docstring, and are intended to be treated and documented
+    as functions.
+
+    For greater flexibility and improved readability over the ``importlib.resources``
+    interface, explicit methods are provided to access resources.
+
+    +---------------+----------------+------------------+
+    | On-filesystem | Lifetime       | Method           |
+    +---------------+----------------+------------------+
+    | `True`        | Interpreter    | :meth:`cached`   |
+    +---------------+----------------+------------------+
+    | `True`        | `with` context | :meth:`as_path`  |
+    +---------------+----------------+------------------+
+    | `False`       | n/a            | :meth:`readable` |
+    +---------------+----------------+------------------+
+
+    It is also possible to use ``Loader`` directly::
+
+        from nireports.assembler.data import Loader
+
+        Loader(other_package).readable('data/resource.ext').read_text()
+
+        with Loader(other_package).as_path('data') as pkgdata:
+            # Call function that requires full Path implementation
+            func(pkgdata)
+
+        # contrast to
+
+        from importlib_resources import files, as_file
+
+        files(other_package).joinpath('data/resource.ext').read_text()
+
+        with as_file(files(other_package) / 'data') as pkgdata:
+            func(pkgdata)
+
+    .. automethod:: readable
+
+    .. automethod:: as_path
+
+    .. automethod:: cached
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, anchor: Union[str, ModuleType]):
+        self._anchor = anchor
+        self.files = files(anchor)
+        self.exit_stack = ExitStack()
+        atexit.register(self.exit_stack.close)
+        # Allow class to have a different docstring from instances
+        self.__doc__ = self._doc
+
+    @cached_property
+    def _doc(self):
+        """Construct docstring for instances
+
+        Lists the public top-level paths inside the location, where
+        non-public means has a `.` or `_` prefix or is a 'tests'
+        directory.
+        """
+        top_level = sorted(
+            os.path.relpath(p, self.files) + "/"[: p.is_dir()]
+            for p in self.files.iterdir()
+            if p.name[0] not in (".", "_") and p.name != "tests"
+        )
+        doclines = [
+            f"Load package files relative to ``{self._anchor}``.",
+            "",
+            "This package contains the following (top-level) files/directories:",
+            "",
+            *(f"* ``{path}``" for path in top_level),
+        ]
+
+        return "\n".join(doclines)
+
+    def readable(self, *segments) -> Traversable:
+        """Provide read access to a resource through a Path-like interface.
+
+        This file may or may not exist on the filesystem, and may be
+        efficiently used for read operations, including directory traversal.
+
+        This result is not cached or copied to the filesystem in cases where
+        that would be necessary.
+        """
+        return self.files.joinpath(*segments)
+
+    def as_path(self, *segments) -> AbstractContextManager[Path]:
+        """Ensure data is available as a :class:`~pathlib.Path`.
+
+        This method generates a context manager that yields a Path when
+        entered.
+
+        This result is not cached, and any temporary files that are created
+        are deleted when the context is exited.
+        """
+        return as_file(self.files.joinpath(*segments))
+
+    @cache
+    def cached(self, *segments) -> Path:
+        """Ensure data is available as a :class:`~pathlib.Path`.
+
+        Any temporary files that are created remain available throughout
+        the duration of the program, and are deleted when Python exits.
+
+        Results are cached so that multiple calls do not unpack the same
+        data multiple times, but the cache is sensitive to the specific
+        argument(s) passed.
+        """
+        return self.exit_stack.enter_context(as_file(self.files.joinpath(*segments)))
+
+    __call__ = cached
+
+
+load = Loader(__package__)
diff --git a/nireports/assembler/report.py b/nireports/assembler/report.py
index a861d9ba..eb858601 100644
--- a/nireports/assembler/report.py
+++ b/nireports/assembler/report.py
@@ -27,19 +27,19 @@
 from collections import defaultdict
 from itertools import compress
 from pathlib import Path
-from yaml import safe_load as load
 
 import jinja2
+import yaml
 from bids.layout import BIDSLayout, BIDSLayoutIndexer, add_config_paths
 from bids.layout.writing import build_path
-from pkg_resources import resource_filename as pkgrf
 
+from nireports.assembler import data
 from nireports.assembler.reportlet import Reportlet
 
 
 # Add a new figures spec
 try:
-    add_config_paths(figures=pkgrf("nireports.assembler", "data/nipreps.json"))
+    add_config_paths(figures=data.load("nipreps.json"))
 except ValueError as e:
     if "Configuration 'figures' already exists" != str(e):
         raise
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ class Report:
 
     .. testsetup::
 
-       >>> from pkg_resources import resource_filename
        >>> from shutil import copytree
        >>> from bids.layout import BIDSLayout
-       >>> test_data_path = Path(resource_filename('nireports', 'assembler/data'))
+       >>> from nireports.assembler import data
+       >>> test_data_path = data.load()
        >>> testdir = Path(tmpdir)
        >>> data_dir = copytree(
        ...     test_data_path / 'tests' / 'work',
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ def __init__(
         # Initialize structuring elements
         self.sections = []
 
-        bootstrap_file = Path(bootstrap_file or pkgrf("nireports.assembler", "data/default.yml"))
+        bootstrap_file = Path(bootstrap_file or data.load("default.yml"))
 
         bootstrap_text = []
 
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ def __init__(
             bootstrap_text.append(line)
 
         # Load report schema (settings YAML file)
-        settings = load("\n".join(bootstrap_text))
+        settings = yaml.safe_load("\n".join(bootstrap_text))
 
         # Set the output path
         self.out_filename = Path(out_filename)
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ def __init__(
         # Path to the Jinja2 template
         self.template_path = (
             Path(settings["template_path"]) if "template_path" in settings
-            else Path(pkgrf("nireports.assembler", "data/report.tpl")).absolute()
+            else data.load("report.tpl").absolute()
         )
 
         if not self.template_path.is_absolute():
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ def __init__(
         # Override plugins specified in the bootstrap with arg
         if plugins is not None or (plugins := settings.get("plugins", [])):
             settings["plugins"] = [
-                load(Path(pkgrf(plugin["module"], plugin["path"])).read_text())
+                yaml.safe_load(data.Loader(plugin["module"]).readable(plugin["path"]).read_text())
                 for plugin in plugins
             ]
 
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ def index(self, config):
         """
         # Initialize a BIDS layout
         _indexer = BIDSLayoutIndexer(
-            config_filename=pkgrf("nireports.assembler", "data/nipreps.json"),
+            config_filename=data.load("nipreps.json"),
             index_metadata=False,
             validate=False,
         )
diff --git a/nireports/assembler/reportlet.py b/nireports/assembler/reportlet.py
index 35324142..a69c421a 100644
--- a/nireports/assembler/reportlet.py
+++ b/nireports/assembler/reportlet.py
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from uuid import uuid4
 import re
-from pkg_resources import resource_filename as pkgrf
 from nipype.utils.filemanip import copyfile
+from nireports.assembler import data
 from nireports.assembler.misc import dict2html, read_crashfile
 
 
@@ -118,15 +118,15 @@ class Reportlet:
 
     .. testsetup::
 
-       >>> from pkg_resources import resource_filename as pkgrf
        >>> from shutil import copytree
        >>> from bids.layout import BIDSLayout, add_config_paths
-       >>> test_data_path = pkgrf('nireports', 'assembler/data/tests/work')
+       >>> from nireports.assembler import data
+       >>> test_data_path = data.load('tests', 'work')
        >>> testdir = Path(tmpdir)
        >>> data_dir = copytree(test_data_path, str(testdir / 'work'))
        >>> out_figs = testdir / 'out' / 'fmriprep'
        >>> try:
-       ...     add_config_paths(figures=pkgrf("nireports.assembler", "data/nipreps.json"))
+       ...     add_config_paths(figures=data.load("nipreps.json"))
        ... except ValueError as e:
        ...     if "Configuration 'figures' already exists" != str(e):
        ...         raise
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ def __init__(self, layout, config=None, out_dir=None, bids_filters=None, metadat
                         )
                         text = f"""<pre>{text}</pre>
 <h3>Bibliography</h3>
-<pre>{Path(pkgrf(*bibfile)).read_text()}</pre>
+<pre>{data.Loader(bibfile[0]).readable(bibfile[1]).read_text()}</pre>
 """
                         tab_title = "LaTeX"
 
diff --git a/nireports/assembler/tests/test_report.py b/nireports/assembler/tests/test_report.py
index 8efb0fc9..b8abde33 100644
--- a/nireports/assembler/tests/test_report.py
+++ b/nireports/assembler/tests/test_report.py
@@ -30,13 +30,14 @@
 
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import pytest
+import yaml
 from bids.layout import BIDSLayout
 from bids.layout.writing import build_path
-from pkg_resources import resource_filename as pkgrf
-from yaml import safe_load as load
 
 from nireports.assembler.report import Report
 
+from nireports.assembler import data
+
 
 summary_meta = {
     "Summary": {
@@ -118,16 +119,13 @@ def bids_sessions(tmpdir_factory):
 
 @pytest.fixture()
 def test_report1():
-    test_data_path = pkgrf(
-        "nireports",
-        os.path.join("assembler", "data", "tests", "work", "reportlets"),
-    )
+    test_data_path = data.load("tests", "work", "reportlets")
     out_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
 
     return Report(
         Path(out_dir) / "nireports",
         "fakeuuid",
-        reportlets_dir=Path(test_data_path) / "nireports",
+        reportlets_dir=test_data_path / "nireports",
         metadata={"summary-meta": summary_meta},
         subject="01",
     )
@@ -186,11 +184,8 @@ def test_process_orderings_small(
     expected_value_combos,
 ):
     report = test_report1
-    layout_root = pkgrf(
-        "nireports",
-        os.path.join("assembler", "data", "tests", "work", "reportlets"),
-    )
-    layout = BIDSLayout(Path(layout_root) / "nireports", config="figures", validate=False)
+    layout_root = data.load("tests", "work", "reportlets")
+    layout = BIDSLayout(layout_root / "nireports", config="figures", validate=False)
     entities, value_combos = report._process_orderings(orderings, layout.get())
 
     assert entities == expected_entities
@@ -260,8 +255,7 @@ def test_generated_reportlets(bids_sessions, ordering):
         reportlets_dir=Path(bids_sessions) / "nireports",
         subject="01",
     )
-    config = Path(pkgrf("nireports.assembler", "data/default.yml"))
-    settings = load(config.read_text())
+    settings = yaml.safe_load(data.load.readable("default.yml").read_text())
     settings["root"] = str(Path(bids_sessions) / "nireports")
     settings["out_dir"] = str(out_dir / "nireports")
     settings["run_uuid"] = "fakeuuid"
diff --git a/nireports/assembler/tools.py b/nireports/assembler/tools.py
index 38761b79..75b5b4d0 100644
--- a/nireports/assembler/tools.py
+++ b/nireports/assembler/tools.py
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ def run_reports(
     --------
     .. testsetup::
 
-       >>> from pkg_resources import resource_filename
        >>> from shutil import copytree
-       >>> test_data_path = resource_filename('nireports', 'assembler/data/tests/work')
+       >>> from nireports.assembler import data
+       >>> test_data_path = data.load('tests', 'work')
        >>> testdir = Path(tmpdir)
        >>> data_dir = copytree(test_data_path, str(testdir / 'work'))
        >>> (testdir / 'nireports').mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ace7e0ca..702e1b42 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ classifiers = [
 license = {file = "LICENSE"}
 requires-python = ">=3.8"
 dependencies = [
-    'importlib_resources; python_version < "3.9"',
+    "importlib_resources >= 5.12; python_version < '3.12'",
     "matplotlib >= 3.4.2",
     "nibabel >= 3.0.1",
     "nilearn >= 0.5.2",