Re: [PIUG List] Summary: requirements for becoming a professional patent searcher

nice summary
On Aug 28, 2008, at 9:55 AM, Martin Wallace wrote:

> Dear PIUG:
>
> The following is a summary of responses to an inquiry that I made to
> the PIUG discussion email earlier this August. This summary is
> intended to provide information to newer information professionals
> with an interest in patent information and who are
> considering making patent information a major part of their career.
>
> * Currently there are no concrete requirements, licenses or
> certifications for becoming a professional patent searcher. This may
> change over the next few years.
> * It helps to have a degree in library/information science and a
> bachelors or advanced degree in the technical area appropriate to
> the type of patent searching you're interested in (usually
> mechanical, electrical, or chemical engineering).
> * For chemical and biochemical searching, it helps to have a masters
> or PhD in the subject area, but this is not usually the case for
> mechanical and electrical.
> * Some patent agents later become professional searchers. Their
> knowledge of patent law is highly beneficial for helping clients
> evaluate patent information. However it is not a requirement for
> searchers to have been agents or to know patent law.
> * The information professional should enjoy reading patents, not
> merely tolerate working with them.
> * Fluency in one or more of the following languages, besides English
> is useful: German, Japanese, and Chinese; other languages may also
> be useful.
> * Searchers should seek legal indemnity insurance for their safety,
> but this is not required. Patent searchers being held legally liable
> for 'malpractice' is practically unheard of (one respondent pointed
> out one case where a searcher was sued for
> overlooking a very obvious piece of prior art)
>
> Several responses to my inquiry were to inform me of specialized
> training programs available for those interested in becoming
> professional patent searchers. These seem to range from programs for
> the beginner with little or no knowledge of patent
> information to advanced seminars for continuing education.
>
> This and more, including a few of the more detailed responses I
> received, are posted on the PIUG wiki, but I don't think Tom is
> ready to unveil the wiki yet. Once it is available for public view,
> I will post a link to my page, and I'll start another
> page listing the training opportunities mentioned above.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Martin Wallace, Librarian
> Science & Engineering Center
> Raymond H. Fogler Library
> University of Maine
> Orono, ME 04469
> 207-581-1678
> fax: 207-581-1653
> martin.wallace_at_umit.maine.edu
> http://www.library.umaine.edu/staff/wallace.htm
>
>
>
>
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Barbara A. Hurwitz
40 Scamman Street
South Portland, Maine 04106
(207) 799-5896
bhurwitz_at_maine.rr.com




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Received on Mon Sep 01 2008 - 19:15:03