diff --git a/webapp/web/js/browserUtils.js b/webapp/web/js/browserUtils.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55be9ba7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/web/js/browserUtils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/* $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ */
+
+var vitro;
+// vitro == null: true
+// vitro === null: false (only true if undefined)
+// typeof vitro == 'undefined': true
+if (!vitro) { 
+    vitro = {};
+}
+
+vitro.browserUtils = {
+    
+    isIELessThan8: function() {
+        var version;
+        if (navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE") == -1) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        else {
+            version = parseFloat(navigator.appVersion.split("MSIE")[1]);
+            return version < 8;
+        }    
+    }
+};
+