The Georgia Tech Library joined the Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC), then Patent Depository Library (PDL), in 1946. Lisha Li is the current representative.
The year 2020 was not a normal one for every one of us. In mid-March 2020, we had to switch to remote working abruptly due to the pandemic and everyone coped with the sudden change. With support from colleagues and the Library, we were able to continue our monthly patent classes, regular patent and trademark reference and consultation by email, phone and virtual via Blue Jeans.
In July 2020, Dr. Leslie Sharp was named Dean of the Georgia Tech Library. Previously, Leslie served in dual roles as interim chief executive officer for the Library and associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development. She made connections for the library to collaborate with the newly named Chief Commercialzation Office at Georgia Tech. Bruce Henson, Associate Dean, and Cathy Carpenter, Head of Campus Engagement and Scholarly Outreach, retired at the end of 2020. Both Bruce and Cathy were advocate for PTRC. Bruce also served as an interim PTRC Representative from fall 2008 to the end of 2009 after Joanne Tobin, the former patent librarian, retired. We wish both of them a happy retirement.
To help researchers effectively use InnovationQ Plus – a commercial patent database, we collaborated with IP.com to have an expert provide a virtual training session for researchers and students in the fall 2020.
Invited by teaching faculty, the patent librarian provided patent related lectures to the following courses or programs: ECE Research Methods (Spring 2020 and Spring 2021); ME Capstone Design class (Fall 2020); and TI:GER Program (Fall 2020).
The patent librarian and the entrepreneurship librarian also co-taught three one-credit courses on the basics of intellectual property, including GT4801C (Spring 2020); GT2801B (Fall 2020); and GT4801B (Spring 2021).
We are collaborating with the USPTO Eastern Regional Office to plan for a series of virtual IP seminars in summer 2021 to benefit researchers, students, inventors, entrepreneurs and professionals from our communities.