USPTO announces Create & Innovate Tour to connect with local inventors and entrepreneurs in libraries across the country

WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced the kick-off of the Create and Innovate Tour, which will make multiple stops at libraries across the country highlighting the impact of the Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs) on the local innovation economy. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal will officially kick off the tour tomorrow at the 40th anniversary event of the University of Utah PTRC in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The tour will empower inventors and small business owners with information, access, and support through workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more.

Create and Innovate Tourstops include the grand openings of four new PTRCs and a 40th anniversary celebration. Tour stops include:

• September 24: 40th anniversary celebration, University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library
• October 2: Grand opening, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Frederick Douglass Library
• October 10: Grand opening, Arizona State University Library
• October 11: Grand opening, Northern Arizona University, Cline Library
• November 19: Grand opening, Mississippi State University, Mitchell Memorial Library

As part of itsNational Strategy for Inclusive Innovationand a letter-writing campaign that saw USPTO Director Kathi Vidal writing to more than 600 libraries across the nation, the USPTO is working to expand the PTRC network to reach more creators, especially in rural and historically under-represented communities where invention and entrepreneurship can help drive local economies. Partnering with PTRC-designated libraries is one of the many ways the USPTO equitably facilitates intellectual property (IP) protection for all innovators and entrepreneurs, contributing to the success of their ventures and their communities. According to a 2020 research study, a startup's first patent leads to a cumulative 16 additional employees and $10.6 million in additional sales over five years.

"As extensions of the USPTO and its regional outreach offices, PTRCs provide essential resources - at the local community level - to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, and opportunities for all creators in the U.S. innovation system" said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "We don't want PTRCs to be the best-kept secret in innovation - we want everyone to know that there's a key resource right in their backyard that can help them start and grow a business and protect their intellectual property."

In 1871, the USPTO (then called the Patent Office) began distributing patent documents to libraries for use by the public. Over the next century and a half, these designated libraries evolved into PTRCs. Last year alone, PTRCs assisted more than 6,000 aspiring inventors and small business owners on their innovation journeys. There are more than 90 PTRCs in the PTRC network located within public libraries and college and university libraries throughout the nation. PTRC representatives are trained to help inventors and small businesses utilize patent and trademark search tools, explain the application process, and connect users with other local, state, and federal government resources. Learn more about the Create and Innovate Tourand register for a stop near you.

To find a PTRC or USPTO location near you, visit the locations pageon the USPTO website.