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Patent & Trademark Resource Center

New Mexico State University Library houses the state and regional Patent & Trademark Resource Center. Patenting an invention and trademarking a product name can be challenging. PTRC library staff are information experts trained on how to use search tools

Regular Hours

PTRC consultations will be held virtually on Zoom, by email, by phone, or in person at the Zuhl Library. If you would like patent or trademark research help, click "Book now" below, and our PTRC representative will be in touch.

 

Book Now an appointment with the NMSU LIbrary site

(click "Book Now." On the next page, scroll right in the booking calendar until you find a date and time that works, and click it. It will allow you to make a reservation in the PTRC for research.)

PTRC Contact

Patent and Trademark Resource Center Logo

If you would like assistance at the PTRC, please email or call to set up an appointment.

David Irvin

Assistant Professor, New Mexico State University Library

Business Librarian

Email: lib-ptrc@nmsu.edu

Phone: (575) 646-6925

Directions & Parking Information

PARKING

Check out the NMSU Parking site (https://park.nmsu.edu/) for visitor parking information. If you are coming from out of town, click the link under “Free 1-day” parking and it will take you to a form that will allow you to get an e-permit for the day you visit.

The PTRC is located in the Zuhl Library at NMSU, which is near the center of campus. The physical address is 2911 McFie Cir, Las Cruces, NM 88003.


DRIVING DIRECTIONS

From the North: Take Interstate-25 south to University Ave, Exit 1. Continue heading right on the exit ramp. Proceed west on University Ave. NMSU is on your left.

From the South: Take Interstate-10 to Interstate-25. Exit Interstate-25 North to University Ave, Exit 1. Turn left on University Ave. and cross over the highway. NMSU is on your left.

From the West: Take the Main Street Exit #142 (off of Interstate-10). Turn right on Main Street (northbound), and then right on University Ave. Continue to proceed east on University Ave. NMSU is on your right.

From the East (Northeast): When entering Las Cruces off Hwy 70, take Interstate-25 south to University Ave, Exit 1. Continue heading right on the exit ramp. Proceed west on University Ave. NMSU is on your left.

New Mexico Patent & Trademark Resource Center

Patent and Trademark Resource Center LogoYour destination for patent and trademark research in New Mexico!

Welcome to the New Mexico Patent & Trademark Resource Center at NMSU.

How the PTRC Can Help...

Patenting an invention and trademarking a product name can be challenging (not to mention, expensive.)

But if you are planning to patent your idea by yourself, we can help. We have exclusive access to some of the best patent research tools in the business. We have a space for you to come and sit down and do an extended patent search. We have a librarian trained up to USPTO standards. At the NMSU PTRC, you can find all relevant "prior art" that might affect your patent application.

And it's free!

PTRC library staff are information experts trained on how to use search tools to access patent and trademark information. They provide the human touch that no web page or legal book can provide in helping inventors and small businesses find the information they need to protect their intellectual property. (However, PTRC representatives are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice.)

PTRC library staff can assist with the following:

  • Provide help with your initial patent or trademark search
  • Direct you to information and explain the application process and fee schedule
  • Demonstrate how to use search tools to conduct a patent or trademark search
  • Show you a directory of local patent attorneys who are licensed to practice before the USPTO
  • Offer classes on intellectual property
  • Offer assistance on how to do historical research on patents and trademarks
  • Help you find assignee information
  • and much more

Through the PTRC Program, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office provides participating libraries access to patent and trademark information and resources, including tools the general public can use to conduct self-directed and preliminary patent and/or trademark searching.

Conducting intellectual property research can be a complicated and time-consuming process. The completeness or accuracy of a search rests entirely on the individual doing the search. Reference librarians can provide general instruction in the use of the search tools provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but cannot conduct searches for patrons nor provide legal advice. The U.S. PTO recommends that individuals consult an intellectual property attorney for legal advice regarding patent and trademark processes.
 
To speak with a librarian for further information, please call (575) 646-6925 or send an e-mail to lib-ptrc@nmsu.edu.

Interested in Intellectual Property?

The NMSU PTRC offers help with patent and trademark searches, but we also collect materials that are of interest to inventors. Here is an internet archive of articles published by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization).

http://www.wipo.int/newsletters-archive/en/wipo_magazine.html

We have hard copies in the PTRC, if you are interested in browsing them. As a reminder, you can register for a research session using the "Book now" link on the left side of this screen. See you soon!

USPTO/PTRC Event Presentations

 

Officials from the USPTO in Dallas delivered a 3-hour comprehensive public learning session Oct. 17. The event was a big success with more than a dozen inventors in attendance. The USPTO experts presented to the inventors and answered many questions about the patent and trademark office.