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