Part I: Patents in the realm of independent information professionals

Stephen Adams is the founder and managing director of Magister Ltd., www.magister.eu, an information consultancy specializing in the field of patents information. The company provides project support to patent information suppliers, distributors and users, and dedicated training courses to assist in development of patent search skills. He can be reached at stephen.adams<at>magister.co.uk. T o information professionals, patents may be one of many good sources of information or may be the principal basis for a successful information business. Patents cover most areas of technology, including chemistry, life sciences, electrical engineering, computing technology, mechanical engineering and, in some countries, business methodologies. We will explore the variety of ways information professionals use patent information to support their clients’ business decisions.