The Patent and Trademark Resource Center Program manages a nationwide network of academic, public, and state libraries that have been designated a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC). These resource centers provide the public with various trademark and patent assistance.

If you want to patent an invention or register a trademark, you don't have to navigate the process by yourself. PTRC representatives are trained to help inventors and small businesses find the information they need to protect their intellectual property (IP). 

While PTRC representatives cannot provide legal advice, they can: 

• Show you how to use patent and trademark search tools
• Explain to you the application process
• Assist you in using the USPTO's directory of local patent attorneys
• Offer classes on IP (varies by location) 
• Help you find patent and trademark owner and assignee information
• Connect you to other USPTO resources