2010 PTDLA President’s Report

The major event of the year was the postponement of the PTDLA Training Seminar which would have been held right about now.

The major event of the year was the postponement of the PTDLA Training Seminar which would have been held right about now. The Patent and Trademark Office is experiencing a Great Recession of its own, as many of its primary customers are either not filing or not renewing patents and trademarks at an unheard of rate. This has forced the USPTO to make cuts to the Patent and Trademark Depository Library Program (PTDLP), which has affected both itself and the Patent & Trademark Depository Libraries (PTDLs) to which it provides such excellent service. I encourage everyone to read the USPTO Performance and Accountability Report which should provide much needed context for understanding the current circumstances under which our Program is operating.

Developing alternatives to the budget-related limits to normal operations at the PTDLs and within the Program have been a challenge to everyone. As such, I am encouraging everyone to attend the ALA Convention in Washington D.C. where we will have an Association Meeting at a time and a place to be named soon. I will be volunteering at the PTDLP booth on the convention floor and I hope to see as many of you as possible. Christine Kitchens has scheduled training sessions on June 29 and June 30 and I hope that all of you, but particularly the librarians new to the PTDLP, will take part. Please select a time and a day that works best for you and RSVP Chris:

Session Location: USPTO Madison Building