diff --git a/langchain/chains/query_constructor/parser.py b/langchain/chains/query_constructor/parser.py
index 9326e09e6c..c0c10acfb2 100644
--- a/langchain/chains/query_constructor/parser.py
+++ b/langchain/chains/query_constructor/parser.py
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 import datetime
 from typing import Any, Optional, Sequence, Union
 
-try:
-    import lark
-    from packaging import version
+from langchain.utils import check_package_version
 
-    if version.parse(lark.__version__) < version.parse("1.1.5"):
-        raise ValueError(
-            f"Lark should be at least version 1.1.5, got {lark.__version__}"
-        )
+try:
+    check_package_version("lark", gte_version="1.1.5")
     from lark import Lark, Transformer, v_args
 except ImportError:
 
diff --git a/langchain/llms/anthropic.py b/langchain/llms/anthropic.py
index 9ad640c4b0..4db63f6b1d 100644
--- a/langchain/llms/anthropic.py
+++ b/langchain/llms/anthropic.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 """Wrapper around Anthropic APIs."""
 import re
 import warnings
-from importlib.metadata import version
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Generator, List, Mapping, Optional
 
-from packaging.version import parse
 from pydantic import BaseModel, root_validator
 
 from langchain.callbacks.manager import (
@@ -12,7 +10,7 @@ from langchain.callbacks.manager import (
     CallbackManagerForLLMRun,
 )
 from langchain.llms.base import LLM
-from langchain.utils import get_from_dict_or_env
+from langchain.utils import check_package_version, get_from_dict_or_env
 
 
 class _AnthropicCommon(BaseModel):
@@ -64,13 +62,7 @@ class _AnthropicCommon(BaseModel):
         try:
             import anthropic
 
-            anthropic_version = parse(version("anthropic"))
-            if anthropic_version < parse("0.3"):
-                raise ValueError(
-                    f"Anthropic client version must be > 0.3, got {anthropic_version}. "
-                    f"To update the client, please run "
-                    f"`pip install -U anthropic`"
-                )
+            check_package_version("anthropic", gte_version="0.3")
             values["client"] = anthropic.Anthropic(
                 base_url=values["anthropic_api_url"],
                 api_key=values["anthropic_api_key"],
diff --git a/langchain/utils.py b/langchain/utils.py
index c9c48e2bb0..0416b42d56 100644
--- a/langchain/utils.py
+++ b/langchain/utils.py
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ import contextlib
 import datetime
 import importlib
 import os
+from importlib.metadata import version
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
 
+from packaging.version import parse
 from requests import HTTPError, Response
 
 
@@ -147,3 +149,34 @@ def guard_import(
             f"Please install it with `pip install {pip_name or module_name}`."
         )
     return module
+
+
+def check_package_version(
+    package: str,
+    lt_version: Optional[str] = None,
+    lte_version: Optional[str] = None,
+    gt_version: Optional[str] = None,
+    gte_version: Optional[str] = None,
+) -> None:
+    """Check the version of a package."""
+    imported_version = parse(version(package))
+    if lt_version is not None and imported_version >= parse(lt_version):
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"Expected {package} version to be < {lt_version}. Received "
+            f"{imported_version}."
+        )
+    if lte_version is not None and imported_version > parse(lte_version):
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"Expected {package} version to be <= {lte_version}. Received "
+            f"{imported_version}."
+        )
+    if gt_version is not None and imported_version <= parse(gt_version):
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"Expected {package} version to be > {gt_version}. Received "
+            f"{imported_version}."
+        )
+    if gte_version is not None and imported_version < parse(gte_version):
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"Expected {package} version to be >= {gte_version}. Received "
+            f"{imported_version}."
+        )
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..525cebef4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import pytest
+
+from langchain.utils import check_package_version
+
+
+def test_check_package_version_pass() -> None:
+    check_package_version("PyYAML", gte_version="5.4.1")
+
+
+def test_check_package_version_fail() -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        check_package_version("PyYAML", lt_version="5.4.1")