[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 243 (Thursday, December 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81904-81906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27784]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Patent and Trademark Resource Center Metrics

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office, in accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the 
extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-0068 
(Patent and Trademark Resource Center Metrics). The purpose of this 
notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of 
the information collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information 
collection must be received on or before February 16, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business 
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0068 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Register Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Kimberly Hardy, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

[[Page 81905]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to the attention of Robert Berry, Manager, Patent 
and Trademark Resource Center Program, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-7152; or by email at 
[email protected]. Additional information about this information 
collection is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under 
``Information Collection Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) Program is 
authorized under the provision of 35 U.S.C. 2(a)(2), which provides 
that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shall be 
responsible for disseminating information with respect to patents and 
trademarks to the public. The PTRC Program is made up of public, state, 
and academic libraries. Each participating library designated as a PTRC 
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; 
and send representatives to attend the USPTO-hosted PTRC training 
seminars.
    The USPTO seeks to collect information about the public's use of 
the PTRCs and training provided through the PTRC system. The PTRC 
Program requirements stipulate that all participating libraries must 
submit periodic metrics on the public's use of the PTRC's services and 
the public outreach efforts provided by the PTRCs. To facilitate this 
requirement, the USPTO electronically collects the metrics on a 
quarterly basis. This information collection enables the USPTO to see 
how current customers are being served by the PTRCs and ascertain what 
changes may be needed in the types of services and trainings the PTRCs 
should offer.

II. Method of Collection

    The metrics will be submitted electronically to the USPTO.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0651-0068.
    Forms: None.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Private Sector; State and Local Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 90 respondents per year. The USPTO 
estimates that there will be up to 90 libraries reporting their metrics 
once per quarter, resulting in a total of 360 responses per year. This 
estimate includes possible growth in the PTRC program above the 83 
libraries that are currently reporting.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public approximately 30 minutes (0.5 hours) to complete a response, 
depending on the complexity of the particular item. This includes the 
time to gather the necessary information, create the documents, and 
submit the completed request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 180 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $5,927.
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    \1\ Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupation Employment Statistics 
wage 25-4022 for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists 
working in Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes254022.htm.
    \2\ Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupation Employment Statistics 
wage 25-4022 for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists 
working in Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes254022.htm.

                                               Table 1--Total Hourly Burden for Private Sector Respondents
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                                                                       Estimated                                                             Estimated
                                              Estimated annual          annual         Estimated time for       Estimated    Rate \1\ ($/     annual
    Item No.               Item                  respondents           responses        response (hours)      annual burden     hour)       respondent
                                                                        (year)                                 (hour/year)                  cost burden
                                                                               (a)  (b)....................             (c)          (d)             (e)
                                                                                                                (a) x (b) =                  (c) x (d) =
                                                                                                                        (c)                          (e)
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1..............  PTRC Metrics...........  4.......................              16  0.5 (30 minutes).......               8       $32.93            $263
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    Total......  .......................  4.......................              16  .......................               8  ...........             263
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                                    Table 2--Total Hourly Burden For State, Local, and Tribal Government Respondents
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                                                                       Estimated                                                             Estimated
                                              Estimated annual          annual         Estimated time for       Estimated    Rate \2\ ($/     annual
    Item No.               Item                  respondents           responses        response (hours)      annual burden     hour)       respondent
                                                                        (year)                                 (hour/year)                  cost burden
                                                                               (a)  (b)....................             (c)          (d)             (e)
                                                                                                                (a) x (b) =                  (c) x (d) =
                                                                                                                        (c)                          (e)
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1..............  PTRC Metrics...........  86......................             344  0.5 (30 minutes).......             172       $32.93          $5,664
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    Total......  .......................  86......................             344  .......................             172  ...........           5,664
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    Estimated Total Annual Non-Hour Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There 
are no filing fees, capital start-up, maintenance, operation, or 
postage costs associated with this information collection.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

IV. Request for Comments

    The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information; including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;

[[Page 81906]]

    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the 
request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including 
an address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying 
information in a comment, be aware that the entire comment--including 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you may ask in your comment to withhold personal 
identifying information from public view, USPTO cannot guarantee that 
it will be able to do so.

Kimberly Hardy,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-27784 Filed 12-16-20; 8:45 am]
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