Patent Office in the News

There is an interesting article in the New York Times today about the United States Patent Office and the new director's attempts to modernize and speed up the patent process. If you are interested, you can read the article here.

The Arkansas State Library is a Patent and Trademark Depository Library, and we offer inventors and businesses assistance in starting the patent or trademark process. We cannot help you to do the requisite patent or trademark searches, but we can show you the basics of the process and provide resources that try to demystify the process. If you have questions about the patent or trademark process, please get in contact with our reference staff. You can call us at (501) 682-2053, use the Ask a Librarian email form on our website, or come visit us in person, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

If you want to get started with the process or just want more information about the Patent and Trademark Office, you can visit their website and click on the appropriate section.

Next Monday's Holiday

Next Monday is the observance of George Washington's birthday, and for Arkansans, the celebration of Daisy Lee Gatson Bates.  The popular name for the holiday is President's Day, or is it Presidents' Day?  There is some confusion in the name, and what is being celebrated. Officially, it is to commemorate the birth of George Washington, the nation's first president, although many people assume it is to celebrate all presidents.  There used to be a separate holiday in February for the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, but it was sort of subsumed into the more general holiday.  If you are interested in learning more about the "controversy" over the holiday, check out this article on Snopes.com.

For those of us in Arkansas, the day also commemorates the life and legacy of civil rights activist, Daisy Gatson Bates.  She was a mentor to the Little Rock Nine, and with her husband published a newspaper, the Arkansas State Press. For a more detailed biography, as well as pictures and suggestions for further reading, visit the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

Here at the Arkansas State Library, we have books by and about Daisy Gatson Bates, as well as books about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other presidents - if you prefer the idea of celebrating all presidents.  You can look through our catalog by visiting our main website, where you can also submit an electronic reference question, or you can call a reference librarian at (501) 682-2053, or you can come visit us in person, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

African-American History Month

February is African-American History Month in the United States. Here is a bit of the background on this commemoration, taken from the U.S. Census Bureau Fact for Features:

To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926. For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation's bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month. Each year, U.S. presidents proclaim February as National African-American History Month.

Here at the Arkansas State Library, we have many print resources that center on African-American history and African-Americans.  We also have online databases, such as Gale Biography in Context, the Diversity Studies Collection from Gale, and the Chicago Defender newspaper archives, that can help students or others looking for more information about African-American history. These databases are available to the public here at the library.

Go Red for Women

February is American Heart Month in the United States.  During this month, the American Heart Association will focus on women and women's heart health.  From the goredforwomen.org site: "To dispel the myths and raise awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of women, the American Heart Association created Go Red For Women – a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health."

Plan to wear red on February 4th in support of women, and visit the Go Red for Women website for more information.  If you choose to make a donation, "The American Heart Association uses all revenues from local and National Go Red For Women activities to support awareness, research, education and community programs to benefit women."

Government Resources

Perhaps you have heard mention of the weekly presidential radio address before, but if you are like me, you were never able to find out when or where it was broadcast.  Now, thanks to the White House web page, you can view videos of these weekly addresses and read the transcripts.  Elsewhere on the web page, you can find links to the president's schedule, issues that President Obama is working on, information about the various branches of the American government and much more.

Did you also know that Governor Beebe also has a weekly address? It is available as a podcast on his website. This, and the main Arkansas state government website, have valuable information for the citizens of the state. If you are not already familiar with the website, take some time to check it out and poke around. You never know what information you may find.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday is the observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day - all state offices will be closed, including the Arkansas State Library.

The Little Rock Central High National Historic Site will hold several commemorative events on Monday.  For further information, visit their website.

A few reminders for the New Year

A new year is the perfect time to remind you about all the services available through the State Library Services Division of the Arkansas State Library.

• Public Access computers, with up to two hours of access a day
• A large circulating non-fiction collection and Arkansas collection
• Reference librarians available Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM in person or over the phone (although if you need an immediate answer you would be best to call before 4:30) (501) 682-2053
• The Ask a Librarian email form for reference questions that are less urgent.

For more information about the Arkansas State Library and our services, please visit our website, give us a call, or drop by for a visit.