PTO Opens Patent & Trademark Resource Center on Long Island

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today opened a new Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) in Smithtown, New York, at the Smithtown Library to better serve the intellectual property (IP) needs of the public.

“Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC) are the face of the USPTO on a local level,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO David Kappos. “The PTRC-designated libraries promote innovation and entrepreneurship and help ensure that members of the public interested in getting a patent have access to the resources they need.”

Currently, PTRC-designated libraries can be found in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. This network of more than 80 public, academic, state, and special libraries assists a variety of customers including inventors, IP attorneys/agents, business people, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, and historians.

In addition to offering free electronic services and resources to support the IP needs of local and state patrons, the Smithtown Library PTRC will employ USPTO-trained librarians to provide customer assistance on the use of the agency’s patent and trademark databases and public seminars on IP topics for novice and experienced users.

The modern PTRC network has its foundations in the 1800s, when Congress provided printed copies of patents to libraries for use by the public. The USPTO established training support and membership standards for these diverse libraries in 1977.

For a list of current PTRC libraries and locations, visit www.uspto.gov/ptrc.

For non-press inquiries about the Smithtown Library PTRC, contact William Salas at 631-265-2072 or [email protected].