Upcoming Patent and Trademark program at the Arkansas State Library

The Arkansas State Library and Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) are teaming up to host a free all-day program PATENTS and TRADEMARKS: GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY on August 7 at the Arkansas State Library.

Speakers from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will provide an introduction to intellectual property protection and explain how to effectively conduct preliminary patent and trademark searches. The program will also cover how to avoid invention promotion scams and how to conduct patent searching on PubWEST, a time-saving patent database portal.

The workshop will provide a basic level introduction to patents and trademarks for inventors, entrepreneurs, legal professionals and anyone else interested in knowing more about the vital world of intellectual property protection.

The program will be held at the Arkansas State Library's Bessie Moore Conference Room on 2nd floor of 900 W. Capitol in Little Rock from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. Register online at the ASBTDC's web site, http://tinyurl.com/3rggxvb.

The Arkansas State Library is one of a network of select libraries nationwide that are designed by the USPTO as Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC). The Arkansas State Library is the only PTRC in Arkansas. For more information, contact Michael Strickland at 501-682-2053.

The Arkansas State Library provides the resources, services, and leadership necessary to meet the educational, informational, and cultural needs of the citizens of Arkansas, and provides guidance and support for the development of local public libraries and library services. For more information on the Arkansas State Library, visit www.library.arkansas.gov

The ASBTDC is a university-based economic development program which provides assistance to small businesses throughout Arkansas via a statewide network. The ASBTDC offers a variety of services to assist entrepreneurs at various stages of business development and growth.

Fourth of July!

Here are some interesting facts about the July 4th holiday from the Census Bureau's Facts for Features.

• In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million.
• The nation's estimated population on this July Fourth is 313.9 million!
• $232.3 million: The value of fireworks imported from China in 2011, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($223.4 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $15.8 million in 2011, with Australia purchasing more than any other country ($4.5 million). Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www> <http://www.usatradeonline.gov>
• 6: Number of states in which the value of broiler chicken production was estimated at $1 billion or greater between December 2010 and November 2011. There is a good chance that one of these states — Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas — is the source of your barbecued chicken. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-26-2012.pdf>

Although most of Arkansas is under burn restrictions and fireworks bans due to the extremely dry conditions, many cities around the state are still holding Fourth of July fireworks displays. For more information about cities near you, check out this list.

The Arkansas State Library will be closed on July 4th in celebration of the holiday. Normal hours will resume on Thursday July 5th. Any reference questions sent after the close of business on July 3rd will be answered as soon as possible on the 5th.