U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository
Library Program
WIPO Regional Conference on Technology
and Innovation Support
Singapore, May 2010
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Agenda
 Introduction to PTDL program
What are PTDLs?
 What are Partnership PTDLs?
 Short history
 Becoming a PTDL
 Statutory Fee
 Obligations
 Benefits
 Users
 PTDLs public offerings
 Accessibility to patent information
 Assistance
 Special offers by Partnership PTDLs
 Additional Search Services by USPTO
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What are PTDLs?
A Patent and Trademark Depository Library (PTDL) is
designated to:
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Receive and house copies of U.S. patents and patent
and trademark materials
Make them freely available to the public
Actively disseminate patent and trademark information
PTDL are authorized by 35 U.S.C. 12 to:
Disseminate patent and trademark information
Support diverse intellectual property needs of the public
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The patent premise
The dissemination of patents to the public has long been one of
the primary missions of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO)
 The premise of the patent system lies in its mutual
benefit to both the inventor and the country
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In return for full public disclosure, a patent offers certain rights
to an inventor for up to twenty years, during which time the
inventor may exclude all others from making, using, importing
or selling his/her invention
The patent is published and disseminated to the public so that
others may study the invention and improve upon it
What are Partnership PTDLs?
 PTDL Partnership Libraries are open to the
public and provide specialized services for
people seeking patent and trademark
information beyond those provided by other
PTDL libraries
 These services may require a fee, but include
services and resources available otherwise
only at the Patent and Trademark Office in
Washington, D.C.
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PTDLs are in every U. S. state
and Puerto Rico
 The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) has specially designated over 80
libraries throughout the U.S. as Patent and
Trademark Depository Libraries (PTDL).
 Four of these libraries are further designated
as "PTDL Partnership" Libraries
All libraries regardless of size or mission must meet
the same PTDL requirements and obligations
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A short history
 The PTDL Program began in 1871 when
federal statute (35 USC 12) first provided for
the distribution of printed patents to libraries
for public use
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In the Program's early years, twenty-two mostly public
libraries elected to participate
Since 1977 the PTDL network has grown to four times its
original size (80+)
Currently, about half of the membership is academic libraries,
but includes many public libraries and several state libraries
Becoming a PTDL
Statutory fee:
 Recognition as a PTDL is derived from the
provisions of Title 35, Section 12 of the U.S.
Code , which allows for the distribution of patent
copies to libraries for an annual statutory fee of
$50
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Obligations of PTDLs
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Pledge to acquire a minimum of a 20-year back file collection of U.S. utility patents issued
20 years prior to the date of designation. Such a back file is available from the USPTO on
DVD-ROM. However, some portions of back files of patents on paper, reclaimed from
PTDLs, occasionally are available to a newly-designated library that wishes to acquire
them.
Make access to patents and trademarks and all other depository materials freely available
to the public.
Protect the integrity of the collection so that the patents and trademarks and other
documents and publications provided to each PTDL by the USPTO remain available to
the public.
Maintain a collection of the classification systems and other patent and trademark related
publications and documents which are critical to the effective utilization of patent and
trademark files. Although not mandatory, it would be helpful if the library were a
recognized Federal Depository Library under the provisions of Title 44 of the U.S.
Code and, therefore, a recipient of many such documents via the distribution system of
the Superintendent of Documents.
Retain any depository copies of patents until, at the initiative of the library, disposal of
them has been arranged through the USPTO. The USPTO retains the right of first refusal
to acquire any materials, including microform, being relinquished by a library, where such
materials were acquired under the provision of 35 USC 12 .
Be in a position to assist the public in the efficient use of the patent and trademark
collections and of the associated information access tools.
Provide institutional support to permit a PTDL representative to attend the annual
USPTO- sponsored PTDL training seminars at the USPTO.
USPTO provides training to PTDLs
 Accessing Patent and Trademark Information —
public and staff training seminars conducted on
location by USPTO employees
 Annual week-long, in-depth training seminar held on
site at the USPTO Office in Alexandria, Virginia for
representatives from each PTDL
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Updates the librarians with the latest relevant developments
in USPTO policy, law and practice
It also provides them with hands-on training on USPTO
database and systems that they access and use in working
with their customers
Benefits of being a PTDL
 A PTDL provides a rich local resource for small businesses,
research and development firms, university and
governmental laboratories, and independent inventors and
entrepreneurs
 An active PTDL brings the newest technology disclosed
in patents to many potential users in a city, state or
entire region
 Patents also provide a unique body of scientific and
technical literature that adds value and stature to a
library's collection
 The availability of high quality patent and trademark
information services attracts new library users with potential
for new sources of library support
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Who are the customers/users?
 Individual inventors
 Patent attorneys and agents
 Businessmen
 Researchers
 Entrepreneurs
 Students
 Historians
 General public
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PTDLs provide public access
 U.S. patents and patent and trademark
materials freely available to public
 Active dissemination of patent and
trademark information
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Assistance from PTDL librarians
 A PTDL is required to assist the public in the
efficient use of the patent and trademark
collections and of the associated information
access tools
 Training is offered to
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classes of students
inventors
small business owners
Partnership PTDLs offerings
In addition to the traditional PTDL services,
PTDL partnerships offer additional services,
some at a fee-for-service basis:
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examiner interviews via video conference
practitioner/public user lectures on specific patent
and trademark topics conducted by PTO experts
access to patent and trademark databases
otherwise offered only at PTO's Arlington, Virginia
campus
streamlined ordering of foreign and U.S. patent
documents
Partnership PTDLs offerings (cont.)
 The Partnership PTDLs are also used to
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Pilot new PTO products and services
Serve as direct links between their regions
and the PTO
 The four Partnership PTDLs are located in
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Boston
Detroit
Houston
Sunnyvale, CA
The USPTO Public Search Facility
Located in Alexandria, VA
 Provides public access to patent and trademark
information in a variety of formats including on-line,
microfilm, and print
 Trained staff are available to assist public users
 Workstations provide automated searching of patents
issued from 1790 to the current week of issue using
the patent examiner systems Web-based Examiner
Search Tool, (WEST) and Examiner Automated
Search Tool (EAST), the USPTO web site, and
related applications
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Electronic databases available worldwide
from the USPTO
 USPTO Web Patent Database
 Full-page images of each page of all US patents issued
since 1790
 Full-text of all US patents issued since January 1, 1976
 Full-text of all US published applications since March 2001
 Access to the Patent Application Information Retrieval
(PAIR) System, the US register of legal status
 Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)
 Access to the same text and image database of
trademarks as currently provided to examining attorneys at
the USPTO via the X-Search system
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Additional resources on the web
 The USPTO site – PTDL Program:
http://www.uspto.gov/go/ptdl/
 Core Collection Of Reference Materials And
Tools for PTDL:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/ptdl/p
df_files/corelist.pdf
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Thank you
Happy Searching!
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