The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) started its network of libraries in 1871 when federal statute (35 U.S.C. § 12) first provided for the distribution of printed patents to libraries for use by the public. These libraries (previously known as Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries) receive and house copies of U.S. patents and patent and trademark materials, make them freely available to the public, and actively disseminate patent and trademark information. The USPTO has undertaken a revitalization of the Patent and Trademark Depository Library Program to reflect the new 21st Century electronic approach to customer services. As a part of this revitalization, the name will change to Patent and Trademark Resource Center Program and the nationwide network of libraries will be known as Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs). These centers provide services to a variety of customers, including inventors, intellectual property attorneys and agents, business people, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, and historians. Recognition as a PTRC is authorized under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 2(a)(2). In order to be designated as a PTRC, the libraries must fulfill several requirements. With regard to information collection, these libraries must provide metrics on the use of patent and trademark services provided by the member library and on outreach efforts conducted by the member library.
To be designated as a PTRC, libraries must provide the USPTO with metrics concerning the use of their patent and trademark services and their outreach efforts. Due to this requirement, the USPTO is submitting this new information collection to OMB for review. The USPTO estimates that this new information collection will add 324 responses and 162 burden hours per year to the USPTO's information collection inventory due to a program change. The USPTO estimates that this collection will have no annualized (non-hour) costs.
$1,124
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Christine Kitchens 571 272-5754
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
0651-USPTO-Information-Quality-Guidelines-Dec2009.pdf
PTRC Metric Worksheet