We are very grateful to see the new Patent Public Search get rolled out.
Auburn University is embracing innovation and inventors at all levels. The library is beginning an Innovation & Research Commons that combines a MakerSpace, Audio Visual Equipment, recording and video studio, and augmented reality lab that researchers on campus are utilizing.
The Auburn Research and Technology foundation is providing facilities to attract inventors and entrepreneurs to Auburn.
University of Vermont Submitted by: Graham Sherriff
The UVM PTRC resumed in-person assistance in Fall 2021 and shelved the large backlog of plant patents that had accumulated during remote-only service in 2020-2021.
We overhauled our website information describing the UVM PTRC’s services and resources and redesigned our research guide on patent and trademark searching.
UVM PTRC Coordinator Graham Sherriff and Electrical Engineering Faculty Dustin Rand successfully submitted an article on students’ prior art searching to the open access journal Issues in Science &
Karen Kitchens retired in early 2021 and Anne Kuipers, State Documents Librarian, has taken over her duties as the Wyoming PTRC rep.
This year has been spent getting Anne settled and informed on her duties, alongside strengthening ties to other organizations, like the Wyoming Small Business Development Center.
Chicago Public LIbrary Submitted by: Jean Petersen
We continued to stay open to the public during 2021, despite the many challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the continued restructuring of the Chicago Public Library Harold Washington Library Center, the Business/Science/Technology Unit was combined with Government Publications Department to become the Business/Science/Technology and Government Unit.
As a PTRC we continued to provide reference services to patrons through email, telephone, and socially distanced in-person interactions.
Includes a Visualization Project section with a link to the PP data visualization beta site “portal” created by GIS and Spatial Data Librarian Milan Budhatthoki
Detroit Public Library Submitted by: Mary Kordyban
PTRC Reference maintained throughout pandemic. Services were moved to the Social Science, Education and Religion Department, as most of our building is not open
Program: DPL Business Author Series, Warren Tuttle, Author of Inventor Confidential, The Honest Guide to Profitable Inventing
Monthly meetings: Inventors Association of Metro Detroit and Inventors Council of Mid-Michigan
We’ve learned that our PTRC customers don’t like to have reference questions over Zoom. They prefer phone or in-person service.
