diff --git a/src/utils/Makefile b/src/utils/Makefile
index 3e4e0b8..dc02348 100644
--- a/src/utils/Makefile
+++ b/src/utils/Makefile
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ INC += pv/configuration.h
 INC += pv/likely.h
 INC += pv/wildcard.h
 INC += pv/fairQueue.h
+INC += pv/requester.h
 INC += pv/destroyable.h
 
 LIBSRCS += hexDump.cpp
@@ -20,4 +21,5 @@ LIBSRCS += logger.cpp
 LIBSRCS += introspectionRegistry.cpp
 LIBSRCS += configuration.cpp
 LIBSRCS += referenceCountingLock.cpp
+LIBSRCS += requester.cpp
 LIBSRCS += wildcard.cpp
diff --git a/src/utils/pv/requester.h b/src/utils/pv/requester.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f27d1ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/pv/requester.h
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/* requester.h */
+/*
+ * Copyright information and license terms for this software can be
+ * found in the file LICENSE that is included with the distribution
+ */
+/**
+ *  @author mrk
+ */
+#ifndef REQUESTER_H
+#define REQUESTER_H
+#include <string>
+
+#include <pv/pvType.h>
+#include <pv/sharedPtr.h>
+
+#include <shareLib.h>
+
+namespace epics { namespace pvData { 
+
+class Requester;
+typedef std::tr1::shared_ptr<Requester> RequesterPtr;
+
+enum MessageType {
+   infoMessage,warningMessage,errorMessage,fatalErrorMessage
+};
+#define MESSAGE_TYPE_COUNT 4
+
+epicsShareExtern std::string getMessageTypeName(MessageType messageType);
+
+/**
+ *  @brief Callback class for passing messages to a requester.
+ *
+ *  This is used by many other classes and also extended by other classes.
+ *  The request is passed a message and a messageType.
+ *  A message is just a string and a messageType is:
+@code
+enum MessageType {
+   infoMessage,warningMessage,errorMessage,fatalErrorMessage
+};
+@endcode
+ *
+ */
+
+class epicsShareClass Requester {
+public:
+    POINTER_DEFINITIONS(Requester);
+    /**
+     * Destructor
+     */
+    virtual ~Requester(){}
+    /**
+     * The requester must have a name.
+     * @return The requester's name.
+     */
+    virtual std::string getRequesterName() = 0;
+    /**
+     * 
+     * A message for the requester.
+     * @param message The message.
+     * @param messageType The type of message:
+     @code
+     enum MessageType {
+        infoMessage,warningMessage,errorMessage,fatalErrorMessage
+     };
+     @endcode
+     */
+    virtual void message(std::string const & message,MessageType messageType);
+};
+
+}}
+#endif  /* REQUESTER_H */
diff --git a/src/utils/requester.cpp b/src/utils/requester.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69599a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/requester.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/* requester.cpp */
+/*
+ * Copyright information and license terms for this software can be
+ * found in the file LICENSE that is included with the distribution
+ */
+/**
+ *  @author mrk
+ */
+#include <string>
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include <epicsMutex.h>
+
+#define epicsExportSharedSymbols
+#include <pv/lock.h>
+#include <pv/requester.h>
+
+using std::string;
+
+namespace epics { namespace pvData { 
+
+static StringArray messageTypeName(MESSAGE_TYPE_COUNT);
+
+string getMessageTypeName(MessageType messageType)
+{
+    // TODO not thread-safe
+    static Mutex mutex;
+    Lock xx(mutex);
+    if(messageTypeName[0].size()==0) {
+        messageTypeName[0] = "info";
+        messageTypeName[1] = "warning";
+        messageTypeName[2] = "error";
+        messageTypeName[3] = "fatalError";
+    }
+    return messageTypeName[messageType];
+}
+
+void Requester::message(std::string const & message,MessageType messageType)
+{
+    std::cerr << "[" << getRequesterName() << "] message(" << message << ", " << getMessageTypeName(messageType) << ")\n";
+}
+
+}}