In light of a recent FTC guideline requiring bloggers to disclose payola, I'd better fess up to all of the free stuff that the USPTO has sent the San Francisco Public Library over the years.
Since 1995, the San Francisco Public Library has participated in the Patent and Trademark Depository Library Program, through which we receive electronic and paper materials and training from the US Patent and Trademark Office. Here's a sample of some of the stuff that we (and by we, I mean everybody in California and beyond who gets easy access to the materials) have gotten through this program over the years:
- Patents, patent applications, trademarks, patent reissues and certificates of correction, Official Gazettes, and bibliographic tools to find all of these documents. (These are available on DVD and CD ROMS here in the library, but lots of this information can be found online via uspto.gov.)
- USPTO annual reports, special reports, fee schedules, and directories.
- Paper copies of all issuing plant patents. (They include lovely color photos, btw.)
- Manuals: MPEP, TMEP, TTAB, ETC.
- PubWEST -- I'll say more about that in a later post.
- Handouts and brochures. (Take a look at the list; we either have them all at the library or we can get one for you.)
- Perhaps most importantly, training and support for our librarians. It is because of this program that you are able to come to SFPL (and many other libraries across the country) and get in-person help.
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