What is another method to read data aside from PROC IMPORT?

The LIBNAME statement is used to assign a libref (library reference) to a directory containing SAS data sets or other supported files, effectively making it easier to reference those files for reading or writing data. This approach allows users to access various types of data sources, including those that might be stored in specific file formats (like Excel spreadsheets or databases), thus enhancing data accessibility within SAS.

When a LIBNAME statement is set up correctly, it creates a connection to a location where SAS can find the data, enabling you to use the DATA step or other procedures to manipulate or analyze that data. In contrast to PROC IMPORT, which is specifically designed to read external files into SAS, using the LIBNAME statement gives you flexibility in managing how data is accessed in the SAS environment.

Other methods that involve data manipulation or retrieval exist, but the LIBNAME statement provides a systematic way to access data that can then be utilized within various SAS procedures and programming steps.