2018 - Patent and Trademark Resource Center Association

Honolulu, HI

Hawaii State Library
Submitted by: Emily Dovermann

At the end of June 2017, we bid farewell to our long-time librarian, Arlene Nagamine, who retired after years of dutiful service.

In October, 2017 James Ko was hired as our library assistant but a few months later he accepted another position that came with a promotion and left.

I, Emily Dovermann, am the only staff member left. I have worked at the Hawaii State Library Federal Documents Section in the capacity of a patent and trademark, Continue reading

Houston, TX

Rice University
Submitted by: Siu Min Yu

There were many significant events in the PTRC at Rice University this past year. Most significantly, Linda Spiro retired in August. We miss her presence, her expertise and most importantly her baked goods! Only a few weeks after Linda’s retirement, Houston was hit by Hurricane Harvey. The University was closed for a week due to the extensive flooding in the Houston area. (photo below) A scheduled patent searching class on that weekend was cancelled. Luckily, Continue reading

Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Public Library
Submitted by: Ryan Donnelly

Introduction

My name is Ryan Donnelly. I have a B.A. in History and a Master of Library Science. Both these degrees are from Indiana University at Indianapolis. I just started as the PTRC Representative for the Indianapolis Public Library. The previous PTRC representative retired in mid-January 2018. Some of my other job duties include introducing entrepreneurs or business professionals to the library’s business resources for market research in one-on-one instructional sessions. I also teach computer classes on Excel, Continue reading

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles Public Library
Submitted by: Stella Mittelbach

My name is Stella Mittelbach and I am the PTRC representative at Los Angeles Public Library. I meet with at least one or two individuals per week to go over patent and trademark resources through our library’s Book-A-Librarian service in addition to walk-ins at our reference desk. In the past year I taught two patent searching classes to the public and one to bioengineering graduate students at UC Irvine.

Minneapolis, MN

Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis Central Library
Submitted by: Walt Johnson

We noticed an uptick in patron traffic at the Minneapolis Central Library since last Seminar, both in terms of class attendance as well as individuals coming in or calling for assistance.

continue my monthly patent searching class, including “taking it on the road” and doing it at a couple of library locations. We also partner with LegalCORPS, a pro bono lawyers group, to offer several classes during the year, including an IP overview and one on how to write and file a provisional patent application. Continue reading

Morgantown, WV

West Virginia University
Submitted by: Marian Armour-Gemmen

Evansdale Library at West Virginia University has been a depository since 1991. The Evansdale Library serves Engineering, Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences, Education, Creative Arts and Physical Education. Independent as well as university inventors come to the Evansdale Library for assistance. I continue to work with university departments, WVU’s LaunchLab, the WVU Law School’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law Clinic and the WVU Office of Technology Transfer. Additionally, West Virginia University is bringing together cross campus units interested in assisting innovation and entrepreneurship. Continue reading

Orlando, FL

University of Central Florida
Submitted by: Rebecca Murphey

Greetings from the usually sunny and always busy University of Central Florida Libraries, home to the Orlando PTRC since December 30, 1988. I arrived at UCF in the summer of 2010, and have been the PTRC representative since summer of 2015. I also serve as subject librarian to the anthropology and sociology departments. The PTRC is operated out of the Research and Information Services department in the John C. Hitt Library on the main campus. Continue reading

Orono, ME

University of Maine
Submitted by: Rachel Knapp

The PTRC is located in the Reference Department at the University of Maine in Orono and is run by Rachel Knapp, Engineering and Forestry Reference Librarian. Rachel is just finishing up her first year at UMaine. Since the last seminar Maine’s PTRC has developed a great working relationship with the Foster Center for Student Innovation. This past year Rachel developed a workbook, to accompany the USPTO’s 7 step patent searching guide, to assist new inventors in the prior art research process. Continue reading

Phoenix, AZ

State of Arizona Research Library
Submitted by: Peter Grant

The State of Arizona Research Library is a law and government documents library that is a part of the Secretary of State’s Office. The library maintains extensive collections of Arizona Newspapers, State Government Publications, Arizona Law, and an Arizona Collection of materials about Arizona and Southwest History. The library is also a Regional Federal Depository Library. Over the past year, the library has relocated its public services from the Historic State Capitol Building to the Polly Rosenbaum Archives and History Building at 1901 W. Continue reading

Piscataway, NJ

Rutgers University
Submitted by: Connie Wu

Greetings from Rutgers University!

2017 is a year with more changes at RUL., Ms. Dee Magnoni accepted the position of assistant vice president for information services, director of New Brunswick Libraries effective August 7, 2017. Dee came to Rutgers from Los Alamos National Laboratory. We believe that with her science background, she will enhance RUL’s science and engineering collections and services to the community. It will help to promote PTRC at the university as well. Continue reading

Reno, Nevada

University of Nevada
Submitted by: Tara M. Radniecki

The University of Nevada, Reno has been a USPTO depository library since 1983. In mid-2017, longtime PTRC and Business librarian, Pat Ragains retired after 21 years at UNR. He leaves big shoes to fill but I am grateful he remains a wonderful resource who is always willing to help. I, Tara Radniecki, have taken over the PTRC responsibilities and also serve as the Engineering Librarian. Since July, consultations and many physical resources have now moved into the DeLaMare Science & Continue reading

Rochester, NY

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County
Submitted by: Kate Meddaugh

Deb Nevin took over as Manager of the Center for about a year, and then retired on the 30th of March. I thought it was a good idea to have some fresh eyes and ideas brought to the Center, as I was Manager for 12 years prior. Since her retirement, the momentum of the Center that Deb brought with her has carried on. As you can see, the number of customers who used the Center is at an all-time high, Continue reading

Salt Lake City, UT

University of Utah
Submitted by: Alfred Mowdood

The University of Utah and the J. Willard Marriott Library have been a PTRC since 1984. The big news from Utah is that Dave Morrison celebrated his retirement in August 2017 with a festive event that included recognition from the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, VA, Rob Berry and his staff at the PTRC program, Molly Kocialski, Director of the Rocky Mountain Regional USPTO, University and Library administrators, faculty, staff, colleagues, and students. Highlights of Dave’s career include:

Serving as the State’s and the University’s PTRC representative since 1987 as well as the 13th Patent Fellowship Librarian (1996-1998) at the USPTO.

Stillwater, OK

Oklahoma State University
Submitted by: Suzanne Reinman

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 U.S. government documents. The website for the PTRCA in Stillwater includes most of our service information and links to information for inventors at USPTO: https://info.library.okstate.edu/patent-and-trademark-resource-center

I am working with independent inventors primarily by phone and email, Continue reading

University Park, PA

Pennsylvania State University
Submitted by: John J. Meier

John Meier has been the Patent and Trademark Resource Center Librarian in University Park, PA for over a decade. We’ve been hosted by the Pennsylvania State University Libraries since 1979 (almost 40 years!) The Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library holds the PTRC collection, but over the past few years we have added service points and trained staff across the state. Lori Lysiak, Reference and Instruction Librarian at Penn State Altoona, has completed both the basic and advanced training seminars at the USPTO. Continue reading

Washington, DC

Howard University
Submitted by: Adia Coleman