Greeting s to all PTRCs! The Wyoming State Library (WSL) has been a PTRC in 2005. I am the sole staff member within the PTDL, and additionally manage the Federal Depository Library Program here at WSL. We are the only PTRC in the state and consequently, serve the entire population of Wyoming. Our state population is approximately 544,000. As you can imagine, this compels me to focus more actively on distance service versus in-house.
The majority of my patron contacts this past year were via phone or email. Interestingly, with the start of the New Year, I have had several researchers/inventors request my services in person. The PTRC page on the Wyoming State Library website includes our service information, a link to our Wyoming Inventors Database, helpful links to the USPTO, and a link to USPTO Intellectual Property Training video podcasts.
In addition to my work with independent inventors and entrepreneurs, I also collaborate with various agencies across the state to conduct onsite training. These agencies include the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Wyoming Business Council, and the University of Wyoming Research Products Center. I recently joined the Southeast Regional Director of WyomingEntrepreneur.biz on her monthly “business” segment on a local radio talk show. We aired an hour-long informative conversation on Intellectual Property in general and resources available at the PTRC.
One new outreach tool I am very excited about starting is my quarterly contribution to the Wyoming Entrepreneur Blog, sponsored by the Wyoming SBDC, the Wyoming Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and the Wyoming Market Research Center. I will focus on Intellectual Property issues and questions, and resources available at the PTRC.
I speak annually at Wyoming Senator Enzi’s Spring Inventors Conference. This conference is hosted by Senator Enzi and brings information about the patent process and procurement opportunities to Wyoming inventors and entrepreneurs. The focus of my presentation is basic patent/trademark searching and services offered by the PTRC. This conference is very popular and is held in a different location around the state each year.