PTRC News for 2012

Big change seemed to be the theme for 2011 – both on the local level and for the larger PTDL program. The year started with the retirement of two long-term Science & Technology department librarians, who, while not directly responsible for the library PTDL program, were nonetheless a deep resource upon which we had come to depend. The good thing to come out of the retirements was the hiring of new librarian Janice Radl who was quickly added to the Patent Team, Continue reading

Georgia Tech Library has gone through many changes 2011. The biggest of which was the grand opening of the G. Wayne Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons (Clough Commons) in August 2011. This 220,000 thousand square foot, sustainably-built and operated facility connected to the Library on two levels, is designed to centralize core support services of undergraduate learning and technology assistance, and to improve the academic success of students at Georgia Tech. The Clough Commons is part of the Library. Continue reading

The BECPL Central Branch completed its departmental transition process. All of our non-fiction materials, including our patent collection, were merged onto a single floor. All of our publicly available computer workstations were also configured in one area, and we began planning a new set-up for our PubWEST workstation.

Our PTRC representative delivered a class length power point presentation on US patents and the patent searching process to a group of LIS students at the University of Buffalo. Continue reading

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County has been a member of the Patent & Trademark Depository Library system since it’s inception in 1871. In 2011, we moved all of the paper patent resources to one location, in our stacks, for easier access. This shifting was a large undertaking, but the staff pitched in and we found many interesting volumes that had gotten misplaced over the years.

Linda Kocis, Intellectual Property Librarian, Continue reading

Dallas Public Library

We continued to offer the bi-monthly One-to-One Question and Answer Workshops. Patent Librarian Steve Gaither coordinated the sessions with Patent Attorney and former Patent Examiner Bob Wise. Inventors participated in individual 20-minute sessions with Bob. This program always receives high ratings from attendees and inevitably has a waiting list for the next class.

The unit hosted Brainstorming for Inventors and Entrepreneurs, taught by Oklahoma-based Patent Agent Robert Frantz. Continue reading

Hi Readers!

My name is Eileen Fischlschweiger, and I’ve been the Fort Lauderdale PTRC Representative for fifteen years, having worked at the PTRC in the capacity of Patent and Trademark Librarian for seventeen years. I have been a librarian with the Broward County Library System for over 23 years. My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Science in both Chemistry and Physics (double major). I also have a Master’s degree in Communications, a considerable amount of graduate level coursework in Education, Continue reading

Hi from Rae Shepherd-Shlechter at the Louisville Free Public Library. 2011 was a banner year.

We had a rebirth of sorts of the Louisville Metro Inventors Council. I got coverage in the Courier Journal, so it was a bit of a media coup. My favorite quote from the article was: “My goal is to train you so you can do a (patent) search from the comfort of your home with your bunny slippers and a bottle of beer…” A modest goal but an important one, Continue reading

Kristina Gómez is the new Patent and Trademark librarian at Milwaukee Public Library. Now in its sixty second year as a PTRC, Milwaukee Public Library is exploring new ways to support our local inventors. A revised monthly Patent Searching 101 program, which is expected to be held throughout the city’s twelve branch locations, is part of MPL’s goal to better serve our business, entrepreneur and inventor community. The Business, Science and Technology department celebrated African American history month with a display highlighting African American Inventors and is looking forward to an even larger display to celebrate National Inventors Month in May. Continue reading