Public User's Meeting

Public Records Division/Public Information Services Division
Public User's Meeting
March 18, 2009 2:00 p.m.
Remsen Building Conference Center

The Public User's Meeting was held at 2:00 p.m. in the 1st floor conference room 1D04/1D14 of the Remsen Building at 400 Dulany Street on the USPTO campus in Alexandria, Virginia. Martha Sneed, PISD Manager, chaired the meeting. There were 11 members of the public in attendance.

Announcements

USPTO Security Services office space is being expanded. Security Services personnel will be temporarily working at the Public Search Facility security services desk starting March 20th until April 8, 2009 while their office is being reconfigured.

Public Search Facility (PSF) Updates

When the Agency carries out emergency event drills, the public has the option to participate in the drill exercise or to temporarily leave the search facility while the drill is underway. Security Services posts a drill notification in the PSF alerting the public to the planned drill.

In response to an inquiry about the public use of a double door emergency exit located on the first floor, USPTO Security Services informed PSF management that the double door emergency exit might be used by both public users and employees to exit the building during an emergency evacuation event.

Public users and employees who use this emergency exit will enter the Madison East building elevator lobby and be guided by Security personnel to exit the building through the open security lobby gates. The PSF staff has since been briefed about the use of this emergency exit.

New shelves for the Trademark bound volumes have been installed. Additional shelving has been located on the search facility first floor on the Atrium side of the facility to accommodate the growth of this collection.

Universal Public Workstations (UPWS)

Question: Is there a new version of EAST? A: A new version is still in development. No date for deployment yet.

Question: Is UPWS going to be in the FIU (File Information Unit) when it moves on Friday, Mar. 20, 2009? Is it tested for working in Randolph Square? A: The project manager for UPWS in FIU is responsible for testing. Any inquiries concerning the UPWS in FIU should go through Office of Corporate Services. A public meeting for FIU users is scheduled for tomorrow.

Wireless access: A user mentioned having trouble checking email within the PSF. The problem was first noticed about 2 weeks ago. It is not a constant problem, but intermittent. Users should report these problems to IT/helpdesk, but Diane Lewis will follow up on this one.

Public Records Division Updates

On Mar. 20, 2009 the Finance and Customer Service windows are moving to Randolph Square. The customer boxes will be unavailable on Thursday, March 19 in preparation for the move on Friday, March 20. The new Customer boxes have combination locks. Combinations for the Customer boxes will be handed out on Monday, Mar. 23, 2009.

Beginning March 23, 2009 Randolph Square will have a drop box for orders. The Document Services Branch (DSB) couriers will make pickups and deliveries. The Customer Service window will re-open on April 27, 2009.

A user had a question about ordering older files from storage. DSB does not request files from National Archives in College Park . Once files are turned over to Archives, the PTO no longer has ownership of those files. However, USPTO does retrieve files from the Federal Records Center , run by Archives. There are service standards based on the age of the file requested.

DSB processes orders according to the date. There is a backlog at this time. The goal for a selected paper is 25 days. Problems with the electronic processes caused the backlog.

Question: There is a file with a large amount of material missing. Is there a possibility of reconstructing the file? Speak to Ms. Emily Hambrick about missing data from the file. You must place a formal request for reconstruction. Since DSB does not own the data, Patents owns the data, you must contact the appropriate Tech Center .

Question: What about shuttle services? Shuttle service is established between Pentagon City Metro station and Randolph Square , and South Tower and Randolph Square .

The meeting was adjourned at 2:43pm. The next meeting is April 15, 2009 in the Remsen Conference center room 1D04/1D14 at 2:00pm.