Q: What services do Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries offer and will I still need to hire a lawyer to file for a patent?
A: Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries or PTDLs are a wonderful resource for anyone seeking assistance in learning more about patents and trademarks and for anyone needing assistance in filing an application for patent or application for registration of a trademark.
A PTDL is a library designated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to receive and house copies of U.S. patents and patent and trademark materials, make them free to the public, and to disseminate patent and trademark information.
The program began in 1871 when a federal statute (35 USC ∫ 12) first provided for the distribution of printed patents to libraries for use by the public. During the program’s early years, 22 libraries, mostly public and all but several located east of the Mississippi River, elected to participate.
Since 1977, the PTDL network has grown to four times its original size. About half of the membership is academic libraries with nearly as many public libraries. There are also several state libraries and one special research library.
All libraries regardless of size or mission must meet the same PTDL requirements and obligations. PTDLs are a rich resource for small businesses, research and development firms, university and governmental laboratories, and independent inventors and entrepreneurs. A PTDL brings the newest technology in the form of patents to myriad potential users. Access to trademark information provides a service in high demand by local businesses. The availability of high-quality patent and trademark information services often attracts new communities of library users with the potential for new sources of library support.
Each PTDL has the following materials, (and many others not listed!):
- Utility, Design, Plant and Reissue Patents
- Reexamination Certificates
- Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs)
- Post-issue patent status information
- Access to the Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- USPTO electronic resources, search tools, indices anddirectories.
PTDL librarians receive training from USPTO employees to help patrons with patent and trademark questions. They also have “help lines” to the USPTO and other PTDL libraries. Visit www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/ptdl/index.html
Although inventors may file their own patent applications without a lawyer, the USPTO encourages applicants to seek the advice and services of a registered patent attorney or agent since prosecution of a patent application can be confusing and complex.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office commissioners field questions from Inventors Digest readers. Got a query? Drop them a line at AskUs@inventorsdigest.com, or write:
Ask the Commish
P.O. Box 3761
Charlotte, NC 28236.
