ABSTRACT
When an inventor or business has developed a new product or invented that better mousetrap, a lot of time and effort should go into planning and refining the product. Often a catchy name is given to the product and the impulse is to rush headlong into patenting or production. Before an inventor spends a significant amount of money, he needs information on legal, technical and marketing issues. Much of the information that the client needs is available in the library through traditional print and electronic resources; however, information alone is not sufficient. There is a need for good problem definition and for information interpretation that is beyond the role of most reference librarians.
