[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53885-53886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22044]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office


Patent and Trademark Resource Centers Metrics

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, 
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this 
opportunity to comment on this new information collection, as required 
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 31, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``Patent 
and Trademark Resource Centers Metrics comment'' in the subject line of 
the message.
     Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records Officer, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, 
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to the attention of Martha Sneed, Director, Public 
Search Services Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1451, Alexandria, 
VA 22313-1451, by telephone at 703-756-1236, or by e-mail to 
[email protected]. Additional information about this collection is 
also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information Collection 
Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The USPTO has undertaken a revitalization of the Patent and 
Trademark Depository Library Program to reflect the new 21st Century 
electronic approach to customer services. As a part of this 
revitalization, the name will change to Patent and Trademark Resource 
Center Program and the nationwide network of libraries will be known as 
Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs). In addition, to enable 
the USPTO to more effectively train the PTRCs and the public to better 
use the tools and data available to them and to ascertain what types of 
new and different services the PTRCs should offer, the USPTO is 
requiring the centers to provide metrics on the PTRC outreach services 
and use of the patent and trademark services.
    Recognition as a PTRC is authorized under the provisions of 35 
U.S.C. 2(a)(2), which provides that the USPTO shall be responsible for 
disseminating to the public information with respect to patents and 
trademarks. In order to be designated as a PTRC, libraries must fulfill 
the following requirements: assist the public in the efficient use of 
patent and trademark information resources; provide free access to 
patent and trademark resources provided by the USPTO; provide metrics 
on the use of patent and trademark services provided by the member 
library as stipulated by the USPTO; provide metrics on outreach efforts 
conducted by the member library as stipulated by the USPTO; and send 
representatives to attend the USPTO-hosted PTRC training seminars.
    Since the PTRC requirements stipulate that the participating 
libraries must submit information (metrics) in order to be designated 
as a PTRC, the USPTO is submitting this new information collection for 
review under the PRA. The information collected will enable the USPTO 
to more effectively train the PTRC staff who, in turn, provide 
assistance and training to public customers in the areas of patent and 
trademarks. As the PTRCs continue to move away from the physical 
distribution of hard copy information, the USPTO is interested in what 
types of new and different services the PTRC of the future should offer 
its customers. Collection of this information will enable the USPTO to 
more effectively service its current customers while planning for the 
future.
    The USPTO has developed a worksheet to collect the metrics 
concerning the use of the patent and trademark services and the public 
outreach efforts from the libraries. On the USPTO's behalf, the metrics 
will be collected on a quarterly basis through a third-party vendor. 
The information will only be collected electronically. The PTRCs will 
be given a password to input their information.

II. Method of Collection

    The metrics will be submitted electronically to the USPTO.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-00xx.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Type of Review: New information collection.

[[Page 53886]]

    Affected Public: Non-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 81 libraries, for 324 responses 
per year. The USPTO estimates that there will be 81 libraries reporting 
their metrics once per quarter, for a total of 324 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public approximately 30 minutes (0.50 hours) to gather the 
necessary information, prepare the worksheet, and submit it to the 
USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 162 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $4,374. The USPTO 
expects that the information in this collection will be prepared by 
librarians, at an estimated hourly rate of $27. This is the mean hourly 
wage for librarians as reported in the 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics. 
Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the respondent cost burden for this 
collection will be approximately $4,374 per year.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Estimated time     Estimated        Estimated
                             Item                                for response        annual       annual burden
                                                                  (minutes)        responses          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PTRC Metric Worksheet........................................              30              324              162
                                                              --------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................................................  ...............             324              162
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Non-hour Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There 
are no fees or capital start-up, maintenance, operation, or postage 
costs for this collection.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, e.g., the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or 
included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 24, 2011.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-22044 Filed 8-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P