Patent and Trademark Resource Centers

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How PTRCs help you

Patenting an invention and trademarking a product name can be challenging. PTRC library staff are information experts trained on how to use search tools to access patent and trademark information. They provide the human touch that no webpage or legal book can provide in helping inventors and small businesses find the information they need to protect their intellectual property. However, PTRC representatives are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice.

PTRC library representatives can:

  • Provide access to resources such as Patent Public Search and Trademark Search
  • Direct you to information and explain the application process and fee schedule
  • Demonstrate how to use search tools to conduct a patent or trademark search
  • Show you a directory of local patent attorneys who are licensed to practice before the USPTO
  • Offer classes on intellectual property (varies by location)
  • Offer assistance on how to do historical research on patents and trademarks
  • Show you how to track current research by company or nonprofit
  • Help you find assignee information and much more.

News & Updates

USPTO empowers innovation among Black inventors and entrepreneurs by increasing the number of Patent and Trademark Resource Centers at HBCUs

WASHINGTON—Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played a critical role in advancing intergenerational economic mobility for Black families and communities throughout generations. Additionally, HBCUs have been instrumental in fostering innovation and intellectual property...

USPTO to rename Public Search Facility after pioneering Black patent examiner Henry Baker

WASHINGTON—At its Black Innovation and Entrepreneurship program featuring the world premiere of the documentary short “America’s Ingenuity” about his work, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announces it will rename its Public Search Facility after Henry E. Baker (1857 – 1928), a...