Returns, and converts as appropriate, the value of the supplied data record (DataReader) that corresponds with the named column

DataReaderUtil.cs

internal static class DataReaderUtil
{
    public static T GetValue<T>(this IDataRecord record, string columnName)
    {
        T result = default(T);

        int ordinal = record.GetOrdinal(columnName);
        if (record.IsDBNull(ordinal))
            return result;

        Type targetType = typeof(T);
        // Convert.ChangeType() can't handle Enums
        if (result is Enum)
        {
            targetType = typeof(int);
        }
        // Nullable? Convert.ChangeType() can't handle those either...
        else if (targetType.IsGenericType && targetType.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == typeof(Nullable<>))
        {
            targetType = targetType.GetGenericArguments().First();
        }

        try
        {
            result = (T)Convert.ChangeType(record.GetValue(ordinal), targetType);
        }
        catch (FormatException ex)
        {
            throw new FormatException(string.Format("Error converting {0} to {1}.", columnName, targetType), ex);
        }
        catch (InvalidCastException ex)
        {
            throw new FormatException(string.Format("Error converting {0} to {1}.", columnName, targetType), ex);
        }
        return result;
    }
}