Intellectual Property and Market Research

Protect and position your work with expert guidance, tools, and resources on intellectual property, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and market research resources.

Protect your intellectual property

WVU Libraries supports your efforts to safeguard your intellectual property through a variety of services. While the Office of Innovation and Commercialization (WVU’s Office of Technology Transfer) handles commercialization, patent licensing, and industry partnerships, our librarians can help you navigate the intellectual property landscape, from understanding publisher agreements and retaining your rights, to exploring options for reuse, online sharing, and even trademark registration.

• Understand your rights as an author.
• Access Patent and Trademark search tools to determine if similar patents or trademarks already exist.
• Understand the key differences between copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets, and take advantage of the Libraries’ one-stop shop guide, which has everything you need to start safeguarding your intellectual property.
• Consult trademark and copyright experts about specific questions or to seek personalized guidance via one-on-one sessions or group trainings.

Understand the market

WVU Libraries provides comprehensive tools and expert support to help researchers gather and analyze industry data, company profiles, information about funders and funding opportunities, and market competitiveness. Our resources can help you better understand target consumers, identify trends, and assess the landscape of your research area.

You can:

• Utilize the Libraries’ tools to conduct market research.
  • IBISWorld – for industry reports, SWOT analysis, market size, and trends (U.S. and global).
  • Statista – for stats, infographics, and market data across industries.
  • Mintel – for in-depth U.S. consumer and lifestyle markets.
• Take advantage of the Libraries’ one-stop shop guide, which has everything you need to start conducting your own market research.
• Consult market research experts about specific questions or to seek personalized guidance via one-on-one sessions or group trainings.
• Attend a workshop (typically scheduled during fall and spring semesters) focused on intellectual property and market research resources, methods, and best practices.

Still not sure where to start? 

Talk to WVU Libraries Research Support and Engagement Librarian  Martin Dunlap.