The Patent and Trademark Resource
Center (PTRC) Program is authorized under the provision of 35
U.S.C. 2(a)(2), which provides that the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) shall be responsible for disseminating
information with respect to patents and trademarks to the public.
The PTRC Program is made up of public, state, and academic
libraries. Each participating library designated as a PTRC must
fulfill the following requirements: Assist the public in the
efficient use of patent and trademark information resources;
provide free access to patent and trademark resources provided by
the USPTO; and send representatives to attend the USPTO-hosted PTRC
training seminars. The USPTO seeks to collect information about the
public’s use of the PTRCs and training provided through the PTRC
system. The PTRC Program requirements stipulate that all
participating libraries must submit periodic metrics on the
public’s use of the PTRC’s services and the public outreach efforts
provided by the PTRCs. To facilitate this requirement, the USPTO
electronically collects the metrics on a quarterly basis. This
information collection enables the USPTO to see how current
customers are being served by the PTRCs and ascertain what changes
may be needed in the types of services and trainings the PTRCs
should offer.
For this renewal, the USPTO
estimates that the annual responses will increase, due to new
libraries joining the program, by 8 (from 352 to 360) and the total
burden hours will increase by 4 (from 176 to 180) from the
currently approved burden for this information collection.
$1,473
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Robert Berry 571
272-7152
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.