In addition to assisting individuals with patent and trademark searching, my job responsibilities as a Reference Librarian includes face to face and telephone reference service, collection development and library instruction. The individuals I usually assist with patent and trademark questions are community members and students. At UCF, there is a department called the Office of Research and Commercialization. If a professor has a patented idea, s/he will work with the Research side of the Office of Research and Commercialization.
• Include a brief introduction of yourself or new staff who work with the PTRC collection. Where is your PTRC located in the library: Government Documents, Engineering, Business, etc.
In addition to assisting individuals with patent and trademark searching, my job responsibilities as a Reference Librarian includes face to face and telephone reference service, collection development and library instruction. The individuals I usually assist with patent and trademark questions are community members and students. At UCF, there is a department called the Office of Research and Commercialization. If a professor has a patented idea, s/he will work with the Research side of the Office of Research and Commercialization.
At UCF, we have a “Research Consultation” room on the second floor where librarians conduct one–on–one consultation with anyone who needs further assistance on a research project, including patent and trademark searching. The UCF Library also has a patent computer on the main floor where a patron can use the computer whenever the library is open. A set of instructions have been written so any of the librarians in the Reference Department (now called RAID – Research and Information Department) can sign-in a patron to search any type of patent website they want, including Pub West and Pub East. The paper copies of the Official Gazette, plant patents, and microfilm/CD Roms are located on the first floor/basement in the Government Documents Department.
• How long have your been a PTRC?
The library became a PTRC on December 29, 1988. I have been the Patent and Trademark Librarian since 2008.
• What has been happening in your library since last seminar: new staff members, staff changes, great inventions, new training techniques, or highlights on your PTRC’s web site, etc?
After many months of working around the university’s barriers, the Library’s Systems Department (officially called Information Technology & Digital Initiatives) was able to download the software for both Pub West and Pub East.
• Any activities that highlight your PTRC and its impact in your community or campus. Do you work with local inventor associations? Did you host an inventor’s conference/seminar? Do you work with the legal community? Did you create a special display or exhibit?
During the summer of 2013, I spoke to students at the Summer Research Academy sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research Office. At the workshop, I met with over 35 students and pointed out the importance of patents when doing research on primary material/resources. Since 2010, twice a year (Fall and Spring Semesters), I present a lecture to the business class How to Start a Business on the importance patents and trademarks. The class is streamed to over 400 students.
• Describe your training activities, classes. What are you doing to help educate those seeking trademark or patent information?
When people come to the library, I work with them one-on-one and explain how to research patents and trademarks using the different types of patent search engines (Pub West, Google, USPTO, and Espacenet), show them the forms they need to file a patent and/or trademark application, and try to answer any questions on patent and trademarks. Prior to working with the patron (student or community member), I send them links to sources of information that will answer many of their questions including a lib guide (http://guides.ucf.edu/patents) and the library’s web page (http://library.ucf.edu/GovDocs/PatentsTrademarks/).
• Include any insights, best practices, success stories, and even failures (we all can benefits even from mistakes!)
It seems people are overwhelmed with the whole process of searching for patents and trademarks. Most individuals do not know where to start. Taking them step by step (Seven Step Process) and showing them different options (keyword searching with Google or looking up the class/subclass at the USPTO web site) seems to break down the process to a point where the patron feels s/he can better handle the patent searching process. Showing the patron the trademark videos are very helpful also.