One of the mainstays of the MIT culture is to design, make and innovate. At both ends of this process, and through the middle, patents provide inspiration as well as protection of the intellectual endeavors.

In fact, patents provide information unavailable anywhere else!

People search patent literature to:

• Identify new research fronts and/or licensing opportunities
• Avoid duplication of research efforts
• Learn how something works (diagrams, detailed description)
• Find information on a company’s activities or identify experts in a field
• Gain protection for an idea or invention

On Thursday, April 27, the Libraries will host a workshop on searching patents. There’s also a research guide to patents to get you started and find the tools you need.

Happy patent searching!