my $repository = new EPrints::Session;
  my $db = $repository->database;
  my $current_user = $repository->current_user();
  $db->save_user_message(
            $current_user->get_value( "userid" ),   #Userid to receive the message
            "message",                              #Message type
            $repo->html_phrase("some_phrase_identifier", (              #the message body, in this instance a phrase identifier
                        "name" => $current_user->render_value( "name" ) # pin name/value pairs as required for the phrase;
                        )
            )
  );