USER GROUPS
There are a number of Thomson Reuters-run and independent groups of users of Thomson Reuters' patent and scientific information. These groups offer networking and professional development opportunities for information professionals.
Click the organization name below to show its corresponding details and information about how to join.
- 1. Derwent Biosciences User Group (DEBUG)
The Derwent Biosciences User Group provides a forum for discussion of issues relating to Derwent's range of bioscience-related products and services. In addition to arranging group meetings, Derwent provides a listserver for discussion of biosciences-related matters. Membership is restricted to Derwent Bioscience Subscribers. Meetings are held at the Derwent Subscriber Meetings in Europe and USA, and during the Online Information Exhibition and Conference.
How to join
Full information is available on this web site.
- 2. Thomson Scientific User Group (TSUG)
The Thomson Scientific User Group (TSUG) is an informal group of UK-based representatives of organisations which have overlapping interests in patent matters. Historically the group started out focussing on Thomson Scientific products, but has since developed in line with the patent market to cover all patent information products. Meetings discuss patent-related issues, web/online systems, searching tips, feedback from patent information meetings, presentations and updates from patent information vendors, etc., providing an opportunity to learn from other users and to present consensus opinion to patent information providers. To this end, Thomson Scientific staff and other patent information providers often attend part of the meetings to address particular issues raised.
There are no membership fees, however membership is limited to patent and information searchers (no patent information vendors are members). Meetings are held once a year, usually hosted by one of the member companies, and co-ordinated on a voluntary basis by members of the group. Each attending group member is responsible for their own travel and accommodation.
Organisations currently represented include, but are not limited to: Astex Therapeutics, AstraZeneca, BKJ Consulting, Boots , BP , British Telecom, Eli Lilly, GSK, Kraft Foods, Magister, MedImmune, Novartis, Perquisitum, Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, Serengeti Information Services, Shell, St Gobain Gypsum, UK IPO, Unilever, and World Patent Information.
Chairperson: Susan Helliwell, Reckitt Benckiser
Secretary: Susan Bates, Shell InternationalHow to join
To register your interest in joining TSUG and/or attending the next meeting please contact:
Susan Helliwell
Reckitt Benckiser Corporate Services Limited
Dansom Lane
Hull HU8 7DS
Telephone +44 (0) 1482 583454
Fax +44 (0) 1482 216876
Email susan.helliwell@reckittbenckiser.comor
Susan Bates
Shell International Limited
Intellectual Property Services
Shell Centre
York Road
London SE1 7NA
Telephone +44 (0)20 7934 1467
Fax +44 (0)20 7934 6627
Email susan.bates@shell.comPlease quote your name, organisation, postal address, e-mail address, telephone & fax numbers.
- 3. Dutch online user group: Werkgemeenschap Octrooi-informatie Nederland (WON)
WON was founded in 1977. The WON (an abbreviation of Working Group for Patent Information in Dutch) is a Dutch Society of specialists in patent information. Its main aim is to further the use of patent information by assuring its availability and facilitating its accessibility.
Members include individuals, enterprises and institutions. Many Dutch companies with a patent information department are members of WON. Other members are patent offices, online host organizations and information providers, patent attorneys and private searchers.
Members generally meet twice a year for one day. The meetings are valuable for the exchange of professional information thus providing a forum for discussing all matters related to patent information. Other activities include workshops and exchange of information via the WON website.
An essential part of WON are the working groups, such as 'Online' and 'WOB' for monitoring and comparative studies of patent databases, and 'Education' charged with the quality control of the training for Patent Information Specialist, a course initiated by WON.
How to join
Please contact:
Wil van der Voorde
Secretary WON
c/o Polyresearch Service bv
p.o. Box 1144
2280 CC RIJSWIJK
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 70 3906873
Email: won@won-nl.orgA membership form is available at: www.won-nl.org
- 4. European Association of Derwent EPI Subscribers (EADES)
The scope of the EADES group is :
- playing a role in quality control of Derwent patent information
- making suggestions for improvement of service
- assistance during developing of classification codes
- exchange of patent infomation experience between users in companies
- contact between user groups from different areas (Physics, Chemical, Engineering......)
- monitoring inputs from patents offices (e.g. formats)
The main interests of the Association are in the engineering field of technology. Meetings are held during the European Derwent Conference each year.
How to join
Please contact :
Gerold Frers
Siemens AG, CT IP S PI (Corporate Technology, Intellectual Property Support, Patent Information)
P.O. Box 22 16 34, 80506 Munich
Office Address : Ridlerstrasse 55, 80339 Munich
Tel: +49 89 636 82827
Fax: +49 89 6 36 81847
Email: gerold.frers@mchm.siemens.de
- 5. Italian Patent Information Users Group (AIDB — Associazione Italiana Documentalisti Brevettuali
AIDB was founded in 2004 and currently has nearly 60 active members. The purpose of AIDB is the advancement of education and research in the field of patents search and documentation, and the promotion of the profession of patent searcher. Membership is for individuals having an interest in patents documentation, research and analysis, and is open for professionals working in industry, private practice, public institutions, and content providers.
All members are given access to a dedicated mailing list for sharing ideas, information, and making announcements. AIDB also maintains an official website.How to join
Please contact:
Michele Frascaroli
c/o: Consorzio SIPE srl
Viale Mazzini 5/3 - 41058 Vignola (Modena),
Italy
Tel: +39 059/767032
Fax: +39 059/776881
Email: michele.frascaroli@consorziosipe.itA membership form is available at: www.aidb.it
- 6. Patent Information Users Group, Inc. (PIUG)
The PIUG is the International Society for Patent Information, a not-for-profit organisation for individuals with a professional, scientific or technical interest in patent information. The mission of PIUG is to encourage the development of patent information research and analysis systems, to further develop members' patent research and analysis skills, and to provide appropriate recognition for its members excelling in the field. They aim to promote and improve the retrieval, analysis and dissemination of patent information.
The PIUG presently has nearly 500 active members from more than 15 countries. PIUG produces a twice yearly newsletter and has a formal annual conference, usually held in April or May. The conference features presentations from experts in the fields of patent searching, patent law and also presentations by personnel from patent granting authorities. The meeting also showcases patent database providers, giving attendees a firsthand look at new search tools and enhancements in the databases themselves. PIUG also supports a Discussion List Server which serves as a forum for discussion among patent search professionals worldwide.
How to join
For more information and an membership application form, visit the PIUG web site
- 7. Patent and Trademark Group — PATMG
The Patent and Trade Mark Group (PATMG) is a Special Interest Group of the Institute of Information Scientists (IIS) in the UK. It was formed as a result of merging the Patent and Trademark Searchers Association with the Institute in 1978. The IIS and Library Association organisations will merge March 2002 to form the new Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP). PATMG members are drawn from industry, patent agencies, freelance searching firms, information suppliers, academic institutions, patent offices and libraries. The group is based in the UK, but membership is open to interested individuals anywhere in the world.
The main aims of PATMG are to provide a networking group for individuals working in the field of patent or trademark information, and to promote/lobby for the needs of information professionals (e.g. with Patent Offices, British Library, Information Supplier organisations). PATMG runs useful regular talks covering various aspects of patent and trademark information work, as well as the annual Patent Information Jamboree, held in London. The "Searcher" Newsletter is issued six times a year to help members stay up to date with developments in the field and upcoming issues relevant to PATMG.
How to join
Please contact:
Ann Chapman, PATMG
C/o Minesoft Ltd
100 South Worple Way
London SW14 8ND UK
Tel: 020 8404 0651
Fax: 020 8404 0681
Email: achapman@minesoft.comMembership forms can be downloaded at the website: www.patmg.org.uk
Contact
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