Patent documents: anticipated changes which will affect libraries

Abstract

On 1st June 1978, a new UK Patents Act comes into operation. On the same date the European Patent Convention and the Patent Co-operation Treaty become operational from the inventor's point of view. Ench of these will give rise to new publications and the three together will create quite a complex network of interacting publication channels.

A brief, sometimes over-simplified, account is given of changes in those aspects of the procedures involved in patenting which have an influence on publications. There then follows a description based on such information as has so far been made available about the publications themselves, specifications, indexes etc., and expected documentation practice. Finally atterrtion is drawn to the possibility that the interest aroused by the new Act may create an opportunity both for bringing home to research and development workers and a wide range of other people the value of patent documents as a source of information and for implanting in them an understanding that, with a little training, patents are not difficult to use.

The views expressed in this article and interpretations of the situation are entirely the author's own and do not represent the views of the British Library nor an official statement on behalf of the Patent Office.