[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 5520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01672]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Patent and Trademark Office


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; ``Patent and 
Trademark Resource Centers Metrics''

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce
    Title: Patent and Trademark Resource Centers Metrics
    OMB Control Number: 0651-0068
    Form Number(s):
     N/A
    Type of Request: Regular
    Number of Respondents: 84 libraries, for 336 responses per year.
    Average Minutes per Response: 30 minutes
    Burden Hours: 168
    Cost Burden: $0
    Needs and Uses:
    The USPTO has undertaken a revitalization of the Patent and 
Trademark Depository Library Program to reflect the new 21st Century 
electronic approach to customer services. As a part of this 
revitalization, the name has changed to Patent and Trademark Resource 
Center Program and the nationwide network of libraries are known as 
Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs). In addition, to enable 
the USPTO to more effectively train the PTRCs and the public to better 
use the tools and data available to them and to ascertain what types of 
new and different services the PTRCs should offer, the USPTO is 
requiring the centers to provide metrics on the PTRC outreach services 
and use of the patent and trademark services.
    Recognition as a PTRC is authorized under the provisions of 35 
U.S.C. 2(a)(2), which provides that the USPTO shall be responsible for 
disseminating to the public information with respect to patents and 
trademarks. In order to be designated as a PTRC, libraries 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; provide metrics 
on the use of patent and trademark services provided by the member 
library as stipulated by the USPTO; provide metrics on outreach efforts 
conducted by the member library as stipulated by the USPTO; and send 
representatives to attend the USPTO-hosted PTRC training seminars.
    Since the PTRC requirements stipulate that the participating 
libraries must submit information (metrics) in order to be designated 
as a PTRC, the USPTO is submitting this new information collection for 
review under the PRA. The information collected will enable the USPTO 
to more effectively train the PTRC staff who, in turn, provide 
assistance and training to public customers in the areas of patent and 
trademarks. As the PTRCs continue to move away from the physical 
distribution of hard copy information, the USPTO is interested in what 
types of new and different services the PTRC of the future should offer 
its customers. Collection of this information will enable the USPTO to 
more effectively service its current customers while planning for the 
future.
    The USPTO has developed a worksheet to collect the metrics 
concerning the use of the patent and trademark services and the public 
outreach efforts from the libraries. On the USPTO's behalf, the metrics 
will be collected on a quarterly basis through a third-party vendor. 
The information will only be collected electronically. The PTRCs will 
be given a password to input their information.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Frequency: Annually
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0068 Patent and Trademark Resource Center Metrics'' in the subject line 
of the message.
     Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records Management Division Director, 
Office of the Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and 
Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

    Dated: January 23, 2015.
Marcie Lovett,
Records Management Division Director, USPTO, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-01672 Filed 1-30-15; 8:45 am]
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