A Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) assists inventors with finding information needed to protect their intellectual property.

PTRCs, which are coordinated by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), provide support for using search tools to access patent and trademark information - a critical first step for anyone considering filing a patent or trademark.

UCR Library is the site of one of three PTRCs in Southern California. The others are Los Angeles Public Library and San Diego Public Library.

To start research on patent or trademark property, visit the USPTO website for a wide array of resources, including information on patent searching, fees, filing, and finding registered patent attorneys and agents. PTRCs have additional resources that may help fine-tune your preliminary research results.

Please note: While we can provide guidance on how to do self-directed patent and trademark searching, we cannot do patent or trademark searches for you, offer legal advice, or answer questions of a legal nature. Please contact a registered patent attorney or agent for help with specific legal questions about patentability and your application.

Location and Availability

The Patent and Trademark Resource Center is located in the Orbach Science Library. Please see our PTRC Guide for service hours.

The PTRC also provides access to step-by-step guides on how to “patent it yourself” and how to license a patent, as well as in-depth books on intellectual property law. At the Information Desk we provide free USPTO guides on filing a provisional patent application, a utility patent, or a trademark, as well as general patent information.