Patent searching made easy: how to do patent searches on the Internet and in the library

The 2005 book by David Hitchcock entitled: Patent searching made easy: how to do patent searches on the Internet and in the library, is missing from the Shirlington branch of the Arlington County, VA library system at least as of today (Sunday, April 13, 2008) - the book was first added to the collection on February 12, 2007. The book cannot currently be found anywhere (that is, any easy-to-check area of the library) - Can we assume that this book is so valuable that someone would actually "steal" it?

I do not know what the contents of this book are, but I hope it does not show up "accidentally" in the Public Search Room at the US Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, VA - otherwise, I will probably assume that some unscrupulous member of the patent searching community did a less-than-holy act - also, if true that the book was indeed "stolen", it would demonstrate the dog-eat-dog world of patent searching

This kind of behavior would belong with the kind of behavior seen on many college campuses where students "hide" important library resources to prevent fellow students from being able to use them, and thereby "benefit" by the inability of their classmates to complete necessary coursework

Could this book have been checked out from the Shirlington branch and not returned? - well, no, since this facility is well computerized - and, according to the computer records, this book has NEVER been checked out since it was first added to the collection - so why is it missing?

yes, the world of patent searching is already a tough field, with mere high school and college graduates entering it as newbies and presenting themselves rapidly as "experts" to undiscriminating patent search firms - and there are plenty of them, all over the world

as you can see, this missing library book (which I can probably easily find and purchase in a nearby Borders or Barnes and Noble bookstore) has conjured up various implied unsavory perceptions of mine in the world of patent searching - well, I made a request to this library branch to notify me when this book becomes available - so, we'll see if/when it shows up, or a new copy is purchased

Francis "Fran" Lorin
siberkhem.com