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An update and expansion to an important work on patent systems
PATENTS can be quite a daunting environment for the searcher, so it is helpful when a very well known professional in the field, Stephen Adams, summarises his knowl- edge into a reference work.
Since the third edition of this work was published in 2012, the volume of patents issued per year has increased significantly and the propor- tion of those likely to be cited that are in English has fallen. The author emphasises the unique character of pat- ents, outlining the process of obtaining a patent whilst also supplying a glossary of patent terms. The patent systems and document kinds of 34 different patent issuing authorities are described. In response to the expansion of economies in Africa, Asia and South America, the cover- age of the fourth edition is expanded to contain descrip- tions of the patent systems of many countries in these regions. It should be noted that national patent registers are discussed in the chapter on legal status searching, not in the description of the respective authorities. Having described the material, the author now turns his attention to where to find it. Patent libraries with associated expertise can be found in various countries, such as the PATLIB UK (formerly PIN) libraries in the UK. There is a wide array of information sources including both public
50 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Looking at the history of the Carnegie public libraries of Wales
ANDREW Carnegie’s philanthropy was a major influence on the develop- ment of public libraries throughout much of the English-speaking world in the early years of the twentieth century.
Adams, S. R. Information Sources in Patents (4th Edition). Berlin: de Gruyter, 647 pp. ISBN 978 3110 5500 61. £91.00.
and proprietary databases, with differing scope, coverage and limitations. The nature of the search being carried out, such as for instance freedom-to-operate, oppo- sition, and state of the art searches can affect the choice of resource.
The author is right to encourage new entrants to patent searching to consider searching by classification. This ensures that a greater proportion of the prior art is found.
This is a welcome update to a reference work of value both to someone new to searching and to those more experienced in patents.
Chris Torrero Clarivate Analytics
This excellent, well researched book uses Wales as a case study to illustrate how this happened and argues that the “... Welsh legacy has been neglected, not least because the extent of [Carnegie’s] personal support for library provision in Wales has not been fully identified and recorded”. Illustrative of this was the proposal in 2013 to hold an exhibition of Carnegie’s and the Carnegie Trust UK ‘s philanthropy in Wales at the National Assembly for Wales but was never pursued, even though a similar event took place in Scotland.
The main focus of the study is on the 35 Carnegie library buildings which were estab- lished in Wales mainly in the industrial south-east and north-east and a scattering of others in market towns. Mostly the buildings survive but several have changed their function. Detailed analysis is provided for the procedures which communities had to follow in applying for grants, for any commitments they had to make and why some applications failed. The role of people such as Carnegie’s private secretary is described and illustrates the scale of the work involved. Mostly, community repre- sentatives such as politicians expressed gratitude for grants
Griffiths Ralph A. Free and public: Andrew Carnegie and the libraries of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press 2021. ISBN 978 1786 8377 45. £11.99.
made and were quite vocal about it. A smaller number regarded any offer of funds as ‘tainted money’.
The book also discusses in detail issues such as locations, sites, architects, builders, architectural styles and interior features. Then in an interesting chapter called Gazetteer each of the 35 buildings has salient details recorded. A pleasing set of photographs supports the text.
The author is Emeritus Professor of Mediaeval History at Swansea University and a former Chair of the Royal Com- mission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales. He presents a strong argument for today’s libraries to continue to be ‘Free and Public’.
Malcolm F. Tunley Aberystwyth
April-May 2022
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