1. A patron has asked for your help in finding three authoritative and comprehensive [covering copyright, patent, trademark) intellectual property sites on the web. Look at both governmental and non-governmental sites. Your recommendations and rationale?
2. A patron has asked you for information on how to copyright her poems. She has heard that copyright is automatic without registration and payment of fees, but wants to verify that information. She has an unusually good title, she thinks, and wonders if that can be copyrighted. She also wants to know how long the copyright will last. You might begin with the Copyright Web site
3. A faculty member wants to place the content of several OZ books by L.Frank Baum on his server. He wants to know if they are are now in the public domain. What is their situation?
4. A patron would like to patent a new variety of day lily she has grown. What is involved? Can and should she do this herself?
5. A patron needs information on European patents for model railroad items. Is there an integrated collection of European patents or must she search patents in each European country? You might begin with the European Patent Office.
6. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom Inc and Microsoft Corp. have collaborated on the design and development of MTV Networks’ digital music service called URGE. Is this a unique trademark? Can you find trademarks similar to this one? For a similar product? You may start with the All About Trademarks and GLS Trademark Search. Other possibilities?
7. Proctor & Gamble has "Sure Roll On Deodorant" as a trademark for an anti-perspirant and deodorant product. Are there similar products named "Sure"?
*8.The reference department has scheduled a series of brief reports on under utilized reference tools. You have been asked to make an evaluative presentation on the PTO website. Prepare a profile with some mention of audience and utility.
9. A patron who lives in Western Virginia wants to visit a Patent Depository Library. Identify the closest PDLs. Where did you find this information? How difficult was it to locate? Does this library have a helpful website for patent information?
10. For a library science course on information representation, you have been asked to give a brief presentation on how patents are classified in the U.S. You might browse in the Index to U.S. Patent Classification [C21.12/2:], the Manual of Classification [C 21.12:], and Classification Definitions [fiche, C21.3/2:]. How easily understood and accessible are these publications? Is this classification scheme similar to those used in libraries? A brief overview is required.
11. For a library instruction event, you have been asked to present a tutorial on patent searching. Which web-based tutorials would be most useful in helping you to prepare? Why?
12. For the library website, you need three comprehensive websites, governmental and nongovernmental, that introduce and explain the trademark system in the U.S. as well as providing some tips on trademark searches.
13. Using the copyright search page at the Copyright Office, what can you learn about Dune by Frank Herbert?
14.You are a serious Star Wars enthusiast and would like to create a Star Wars website. What can you do? What can you not do? Any literature/comment on Star Wars websites that might illuminate?
15. The Amazon.com website one click check out system has been patented. Why is this a particularly controversial patent?
16. A user has come to the reference desk with a question about "trade dress." She knows that it is related to trade marks, but needs to know more. For example, she has been told that she can't create software that would make the Windows desktop look like Mac OS 10. What can you find?
Last major revision: August 2006.
