USPTO Rebrands National Library Network as Patent and Trademark Resource Centers
Centers to Focus on Electronic Access to Patent and Trademark Information and Training
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced that its nationwide network of Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries (PTDLs) will become known as Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs) on October 1, 2011. The name change signifies a major shift in focus from the “paper depository” concept to an expansion of access to electronic information and specialized training to meet the information needs of 21st Century patent and trademark customers.
“PTRCs serve as the face of the USPTO in local communities and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that ensures that potential filers have the local resources necessary to draw on for support as they begin their quest for commercial success with their intellectual property,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO David Kappos.
Akron-Summit County Public Library is one of five PTRCs in Ohio, and one of about 80 in the United States. Librarians assist a variety of customers including inventors, intellectual property attorneys/agents, business people, researchers, entrepreneurs, students and historians. The Library’s Science & Technology Division employs USPTO-trained librarians to provide customer assistance on the use of the agency’s patent and trademark databases and public seminars on intellectual property topics for novice and experienced users. Some of the activities and services offered are introductory classes in patents and patent searching and in general intellectual property; and Inventapalooza, an all-day educational event for the independent inventor. Also, the Library has a partnership with a local intellectual property law firm, Frisina LLC, offering a monthly lecture series on entrepreneurship and commercial expansion through intellectual property use.
More information on ASCPL’s Patent & Trademark Resource Center, including a link to a list of upcoming classes and programs, can be found at http://www.akronlibrary.org/internetresources/st/patent.html