diff --git a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/util/Makefile b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/util/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5772716
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/util/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#
+# $Id: Makefile,v 1.1 2000/10/31 00:04:15 mdb Exp $
+
+ROOT = ../../..
+
+SRCS = \
+	StringUtil.java \
+
+include $(ROOT)/build/Makefile.java
diff --git a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/util/StringUtil.java b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/util/StringUtil.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..00b80bc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/util/StringUtil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//
+// $Id: StringUtil.java,v 1.1 2000/10/31 00:04:15 mdb Exp $
+
+package com.samskivert.util;
+
+/**
+ * String related utility functions.
+ */
+public class StringUtil
+{
+    /**
+     * @return true if the string is null or empty, false otherwise.
+     */
+    public static boolean blank (String value)
+    {
+	return (value == null || value.trim().length() == 0);
+    }
+}