The Oklahoma State University Library has been a Patent and Trademark Depository Library since 1956. We are housed in the main University Library and are part of the Government Documents Department, a regional depository for federal government documents.
Researchers/inventors make appointments with us to work one-on-one, and we have many contacts by phone. Our website includes most of our service information and links to information for inventors at USPTO: http://www.library.okstate.edu/patents/. The How to Conduct a Preliminary U.S. Patent Search: A Step by Step Strategy and From Concept to Protection videos at USPTO are excellent resources.
In addition to working with independent inventors, I continue to stress on our campus the importance of working with USPTO classifications in order to do preliminary patent research. We have an Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence, which offers courses to faculty, and I will be teaching one on patent research in February http://itle.okstate.edu/. I am working with our engineering librarian to train our library colleagues in the sciences as to the basics of patents so that they may incorporate this into their instruction sessions and liaison areas. Patents are an important aspect of many disciplines, and they are not included for the most part in traditional literature searches. PTDL librarians can play as role as to training other librarians as to patent and trademark information.
I continue to collaborate with the state-funded Inventor’s Assistance Service / New Product Development Center in the College of Engineering on our campus. I provide a seminar on trademarks at the basic training workshops given by the Food and Agricultural Products Center and offer preliminary search clinics in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. An Entrepreneurship Center opened in the College of Business, and we continue to work with the Inventor’s Congress (club) in the state. I also participate in our Research Week on campus to highlight our services.
I appreciate the opportunity to continue to be able to serve as the PTDL newsletter editor. Thank you to Esther Crawford who is now hosting it on the PTDLA website!