From Alan Gomersall, The British Library, London
Contrary to Barry Fox’s article (This Week, 7 January) the closure of the London office of the Patent Office Search and Advisory Service does not mean that Southeast inventors no longer have access to patent information. As Barry Fox often reminds readers through his patents column, the British Library houses the national collection of patents, some 36 million from Britain and abroad, which can be consulted free of charge.
Patent information specialists at the library show visitors how to carry out searches and will answer basic enquiries by ‘phone.
Staff in the library’s patents online service undertake worldwide patent searches on behalf of inventors. A search to identify patents in a particular technical area will cost between £120 and £150 on average.
Inventors in other parts of Britain can access patent information through their local patents information network (PIN) library. A full list of participating libraries is available from the PIN liaison officer at the British Library.
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All of these resources will provide the inventor with information with which they can judge the novelty of their bright idea but they do not, of course, provide advice on patentability, which may have to be obtained from the Patent Office or a patent agent.
The British Library’s patent collections are based at the Science Reference and Information Service, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC2, the old Patent Office Library, and general information is available on 0171 412 7919.
