diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transformers.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transformers.java
index 45c3ac4..e24d9a9 100644
--- a/src/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transformers.java
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/depot/Transformers.java
@@ -20,8 +20,24 @@
 
 package com.samskivert.depot;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.LinkedList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+
 import com.samskivert.depot.annotation.Column;
 
+//import com.google.common.annotations.Beta;
+
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
+
+import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
+import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
+
 /**
  * Contains various generally useful {@link Transformer} implementations. To use a transformer, you
  * specify it via a {@link Column} annotation. For example:
@@ -57,4 +73,109 @@ public class Transformers
             return values;
         }
     }
+
+    //@Beta
+    public static class StringArray implements Transformer<String[], String>
+    {
+        public String toPersistent (String[] value)
+        {
+            if (value == null) {
+                return null;
+            }
+            return StringIterable.toPersistent0(Arrays.asList(value));
+        }
+
+        public String[] fromPersistent (Class<?> ftype, String encoded)
+        {
+            if (encoded == null) {
+                return null;
+            }
+            return Iterables.toArray(StringIterable.fromPersistent0(encoded), String.class);
+        }
+    }
+
+    //@Beta
+    public static class StringIterable implements Transformer<Iterable<String>, String>
+    {
+        public String toPersistent (Iterable<String> value)
+        {
+            return toPersistent0(value);
+        }
+
+        public Iterable<String> fromPersistent (Class<?> ftype, String encoded)
+        {
+            ArrayList<String> value = fromPersistent0(encoded);
+            if (value == null ||
+                    ftype == ArrayList.class || ftype == List.class || ftype == Collection.class ||
+                    ftype == Iterable.class) {
+                return value;
+            }
+            if (ftype == LinkedList.class) {
+                return Lists.newLinkedList(value);
+            }
+            if (ftype == HashSet.class || ftype == Set.class) {
+                return Sets.newHashSet(value);
+            }
+            // else: reflection? See if it's a collection, call the 0-arg constructor, add all
+            // and return? Something?
+            return value;
+        }
+
+        protected static String toPersistent0 (Iterable<String> value)
+        {
+            if (value == null) {
+                return null;
+            }
+            StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder();
+            for (String s : value) {
+                if (s == null) {
+                    buf.append('\uFFFC');
+                } else {
+                    s = s.replace("\\", "\\\\"); // turn \ into \\ 
+                    s = s.replace("\n", "\\n");  // turn newline into \n
+                    s = s.replace("\uFFFC", "\\\uFFFC"); // preslash the nullmarker too
+                    buf.append(s).append('\n');
+                }
+            }
+            return buf.toString();
+        }
+
+        protected static ArrayList<String> fromPersistent0 (String encoded)
+        {
+            if (encoded == null) {
+                return null;
+            }
+            ArrayList<String> value = Lists.newArrayList();
+            StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder(encoded.length());
+            for (int ii = 0, nn = encoded.length(); ii < nn; ii++) {
+                char c = encoded.charAt(ii);
+                switch (c) {
+                case '\uFFFC':
+                    Preconditions.checkArgument(buf.length() == 0, "Invalid encoded string");
+                    value.add(null);
+                    break;
+
+                case '\n':
+                    value.add(buf.toString()); // TODO: intern?
+                    buf.setLength(0);
+                    break;
+
+                case '\\':
+                    try {
+                        buf.append(encoded.charAt(++ii)); // take the next char at face value
+                    } catch (IndexOutOfBoundsException e) {
+                        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid encoded string", e);
+                    }
+                    break;
+
+                default:
+                    buf.append(c);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            // make sure there are no left-over characters
+            Preconditions.checkArgument(buf.length() == 0, "Invalid encoded string");
+            return value;
+        }
+    }
 }