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Welcome to the PTRC
The Van Pelt and Opie Library at Michigan Technological University is a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC).
All services are available to the public and to Michigan Tech students, faculty, and staff at no charge.
Services include:
- Appointments for searching help with trained librarians
- Access to PubEAST and PubWEST, two robust patent searching databases only available at PTRCs
- Patent and trademark searching workshops
- Books and other informational resources on patents, trademarks, and other intellectual property issues
Legal Advice Disclaimer
PTRCs are able to instruct patrons in the use of databases and other information resources in order to enable patrons to conduct their own patent or trademark searches.
PTRCs are not able to conduct patent or trademark searches for patrons, as doing so could be considered legal advice. PTRCs are also prohibited from offering other types of legal advice, including opinions about whether an invention is patentable, specific classifications that should be considered, filing applications, or recommending a patent attorney.
A database of patent attorneys, searchable by geographic area, is available here.