The Sunnyvale Library is a Patent and Trademark Depository Library (PTDL). Supported by a US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) program and expert staff, PTDLs are the primary personalized channel for the distribution of patent and trademark information to the public. Annual week long training seminars at the USPTO provide Sunnyvale librarians with the most current patent and trademark information.
As a PTDL, Sunnyvale Public Library offers:
- Free access to patent and trademark documents in various formats including through the USPTO Web site, CD-ROM DVD-ROM, and paper
- Patent searching guides and other reference materials on intellectual property
- USPTO-trained staff to answer patent and trademark questions and the ability to request assistance from USPTO experts for obtaining information if further support is needed.
Whether you are researching a new invention or technology, learning about the patents of a particular company, or looking for a patent of a friend or relative, the Sunnyvale Library PTDL has the resources you need. Please note that librarians may not provide legal advice.
Patent and Trademark Programs:
The Library offers several programs to assist those working with patents and trademarks. Check the Events Calendar to see what's offered now. You may also sign up to be notified by email of upcoming events, including patent and trademark events, by registering to receive adult announcement and event notifications.
Patent and Trademark Publications:
Patent, Trademark, and Copyright: Basic Resources Online and In Print at the Sunnyvale Public Library
Patent and Trademark Web sites:
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Search patent and trademark databases, find guides, manuals, forms, fees, inventor assistance, attorneys, laws, regulations, FAQs, filing instructions, links, and much more.
Espacenet®
Search patent documents worldwide from over 72 countries and regions.
WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Intellectual Property Digital Library
Search international trademark registrations (Madrid system), international patent applications (PCT), and other databases; access guides, standards, laws, regulations, fees, statistics, FAQs, links, and more.
Pat2PDF.org
Free download and printing of multiple page U.S. patent copies in PDF.
University of Michigan Humanities Text Initiative, Making of America Collection
Subject-matter index of patents for inventions issued by the United States Patent Office from 1790 to 1873, inclusive.
Copyright Office
Find forms, fees, basic information, laws, a searchable database, etc.
California Business Search
Check records online for Corporations, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies.
Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk-Recorder
Search fictitious business names.
Lawyers in the Library
Have a legal question about patents, trademarks or copyrights? Your Library is calling in the lawyers!
You can now sign up for free legal counseling about intellectual property law -- meaning patents, trademarks, or copyright issues. Volunteer attorneys who specialize in these areas will be offering 20-minute consultations from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., on the last Tuesday of each month, starting February 28. All sessions will take place at the Library.
Call (408) 730-7300, (option 5), to sign up for your free meeting with a lawyer. Future sessions will be held March 27, April 24, and May 29, all from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The Library is working in partnership with Silicon Valley-based Pro Bono Project. The service is part of a project supported in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.