2024 - Patent and Trademark Resource Center Association

Fairbanks, AK

Geophysical Institute – Mather Library
Submitted by: David Park

Attended the 2023 Alaska INBRE Research Retreat and presented on PTRC resources for over 100 attendees.
Partnering with the Alaska Build Back Better program to provide PTRC resources to the growing mariculture industry in Alaska.

David Park

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Broward County Library
Submitted by: Eileen Fischlschweiger

In September 2023, Eileen completed a detailed step-by-step handout she created that focuses on patent searching by CPC classification in Patent Public Search.
- It can be used to supplement the materials that already exist for keyword searching.
In 2024, Broward County Library (BCL) is celebrating its 50th anniversary and the Broward County Main Library and the Fort Lauderdale PTRC are celebrating their 40th anniversary.

Before and after construction of Main Library – Continue reading

Grand Forks, ND

The University of North Dakota
Submitted by: Brian Garrison

Recently became involved in the NSF’s I-Corps program on campus, focusing on technology transfer and commercialization of inventions.

Honolulu, HI

Hawaii State Library
Submitted by: Emily Dovermann

During the kickoff event of the Summer Reading Program at the Hawaii State Library, we set up a Plant Patent Station as one of the many stations the participants needed to visit.
At each station, attendees collected a stamp, and to win a prize, they had to collect stamps from all stations.
Our Plant Patent Station showcased a colorful display of various plant patents invented by Hawaii residents, providing participants with an engaging opportunity to learn about our PTRC services and intellectual property rights while exploring different activities.

Houghton, MI

Michigan Technological University (MTU)
Submitted by: Annelise Doll

Taught the 5th Annual Protect Your Innovation workshop with Husky Innovate, a collaboration between Pavlis Honors College, the Office of Innovation and Commercialization, and the College of Business at MTU.
For the first time, taught a session on patents and trademark for MTU’s Electrical Engineering Design Fundamentals undergrad class.
Developed a display to celebrate Design Expo, a showcase of MTU’s undergrad students’ Enterprise and Senior Design projects.
With the addition of a new platform in the library,

Houston, TX

Rice University
Submitted by: Hannah Edlund

Shortly after last year’s seminar, USPTO Commissioner for Patents visited Rice on April 5th; PTRC partnered with departments to bring her to Houston, recruit panelists for events, and helped with event planning.
Co-hosted with the Office of Technology Transfer a Friday happy hour for the Graduate Student Association featuring university IP resources.
PTRC rep was a guest speaker at Lamar University Innovation Day and gave an overview of how to search for patents and answered lots of questions.

Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis – Marion County Public Library
Submitted by: Ryan Donnelly

Central Library hosted an attorney in-person from the Indianapolis Bar Association who gave a presentation entitled Protecting Your Business: An Intellectual Property Masterclass for Entrepreneurs on September 18, 2023. Twenty-nine people attended this event.
On May 25, 2023, Central Library partnered with the USPTO’s Detroit Regional Office to host an in-person Demystifying Patents and Trademarks seminar. A total of 27 people attended four different sessions throughout the course of the five-hour seminar.

Iowa City, IA

University of Iowa
Submitted by: Kari Kozak

Events and activities from the past year with awesome staff James Cox, Amanda Gunnink, Kari Kozak, and Marina Zhang:
- August 2023 –Staff table at the Iowa State Fair with the Midwest Regional Office.

More events and activities from the past year:
- February 2024 –Mini-Golf Fairway Design Challenge.

Some Events and activities from the past year:
- March 2024 –Pi Day Marker Break–Building a Zoetrope featuring 1867 patent.

Jackson, MS

Mississippi Library Commission
Submitted by: Lawrence Smith

Events attended:
- Mississippi Market Wholesale Show, where 250 attended.
- Mississippi State Fair, where 500 attended.

Kansas City, MO

Linda Hall Library
Submitted by: Kim Carter

On January 8 Linda Hall Library hosted ~80 students from St. Teresa’s Academy for a kick-off event for the Kansas City Invention Convention (KCIC).
Over the course of 2 hours, the students. participated in speed-dating-like sessions for 20-30 minutes on:
- Patent searching (including the basics of intellectual property).
- Patent and invention information in our collections (including a hands-on exercise).
- Tour of our exhibit, Chained to the Skywith a discussion of inventions and their ecological impact.

Las Cruces, NM

New Mexico State University
Submitted by: David Irvin

Men of Color initiative, NMSU, November, 2023 -Provided an overview of PTRC services to students.
Hosted Hope Shimabuku and Jessica Eley at the NMS Library while they were visiting from TXRO for an IP workshop at NMSU, November, 2023.
Santa Clara Pueblo, January, 2023 -Teamed up with the UNM Rainforest Innovations and a trademark attorney from Albuquerque to provide an overview of trademark research methods.
David Irvin, PTRC Representative at NMSU,

Las Vegas, NV

University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Submitted by: Patrick Griffis and Youngwoo Ban

We hold an event every other month whereby a local attorney provides an overview of patents, trademarks, and copyright and answers questions.
This event is intended for those who might not have the resources to consult an IP Attorney.
We promote this event to our local Urban Chamber of Commerce and our local Women’s Chamber of Commerce along with organizations that provide free advising to those starting a business, such as the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and our statewide Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Lincoln, NE

University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Submitted by: Rich Leiter

Had five or six meetings with inventors who were looking for help with filing for patents. Some of these inventors were characters.
In addition to in-person meetings with some individuals, I have also received a few calls from people around the state looking for help with either filing or searching for patents or trademarks. When the callers can’t come in, or aren’t ready to do a Zoom meeting, I put together a packet of handouts and brochures that I send them.

Little Rock, AR

Arkansas State Library
Submitted by: Joanna Delavan

Several people per month call, or come by, the Arkansas State Library asking for assistance with patents and trademarks.
With new staff we have not been able to offer any workshops, but plan to later this year.
I have offered a few small presentations on intellectual property-the differences between patents, trademarks, and copyright.

Joanna Delavan

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles Public Library
Submitted by: Stella Mittelbach

Partnered with Los Angeles Small Business Administration and local legal aid provider, Bet Tzedek, to offer two in-person intellectual property programs presented by volunteer attorneys with 41 participants.
Taught two hands-on patent prior art search classes to 10 attendees.
Hosted the first Patent and Trial Appeal Board Road Show with seven PTAB judges and 31 attendees with reception afterward with the local PTAB bar association.

Volunteer Attorney, Continue reading

Lubbock, TX

Texas Tech University
Submitted by: Tom Rohrig

Continues to work primarily with community patrons.
Continues to use email distribution lists (with BCC) to forward information on patents and trademarks to my community patrons as a current awareness service. Have created blog and am now tweaking it.
Have updated my welcome letters for Patents and Trademark patrons.
Continues working with a History doctoral student studying historical computer development partially through patents.