Patents and Trademarks: Home

The Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) is a network of libraries around the United States that commit to helping people find information about intellectual property. While the staff does not include an attorney and cannot provide advice, we are happy to help you find information, search databases, or find an attorney.

South Dakota State University welcomes inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and anyone coming to our campus in Brookings, SD.

Assistance available includes one-on-one help and workshops. Appointments can be made at: https://libcal.sdstate.edu/appointments/Elizabeth-Fox.

Our PTRC is part of a network and more information on the network can be found at https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/support-centers/patent-and-trademark-resource-centers-ptrcs?MURL=ptrc

What we can do for you:

• Free one-on-one training and assistance in doing your own patent or trademark search
• Access to "how to" patent and trademark books that are helpful to small business owners and inventors
• Use of all resources needed to do a complete patent or trademark search
• Information about US Patent and Trademark Office policy
• Full-text of U.S. patents issued from 1790-present online
• Early USPTO publications, dating back to the mid 1800's, for historical research
• For those unable to visit Brookings, we can provide much support by phone, email, or Zoom

What we cannot do for you:

• We cannot conduct patent and trademark searches for you.
• We cannot tell you whether or not your invention is patentable
• We cannot file applications for you or review your application
• We are not likely to be familiar with the technologies related to your search

• Division of Research and Economic Development
• Commercialization (Virtual Office Hours)
• Office of General Counsel