Research Guides: Open Education: Public Domain

Public Domain: What it is and what it's not

The term "public domain" encompasses materials for which:

The copyright has expired;
The copyright owner has intentionally and explicitly"dedicated" it to the public domain;
The copyright owner did not follow copyright renewal rules; or
Copyright law does not protect (such as works created by U.S. Government employees during the course of their employment, and works that cannot by copyrighted (such as ideas, common knowledge, data points etc.))

Public domain is different than "publicly accessible" or "free online." READ MORE ABOUT THE PUBLIC DOMAIN HERE.

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
Cornell University provides a detailed chart for determining public domain status of works in the United States.
Is it Protected by Copyright? (Interactive Digital Slider)
(in Flash - not viewable via Mac/iPhone etc.) Slide the red arrow down to the date of publication and read the information in the boxes on the left. Licensed: CC BY NC SA.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) Primary Source Sets
Primary Source Sets are public domain materials curated to help students develop critical thinking skills by exploring topics in history, literature, and culture through primary sources. Drawing online materials from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States, the sets use letters, photographs, posters, oral histories, video clips, sheet music, and more. Each set includes a topic overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee. Read about DPLA's education projects and contact DPLA with feedback at education@dp.la
A Guide to Finding Interesting Public Domain Works Online
From the Public Domain Review and Public Knowledge Project.
30 Public Domain Image Websites
Note: Check the terms of each image before assuming that it is in the Public Domain.

Creative Commons Public Domain tools (CC0 and CC-PD)
Learn about the difference between CC0 and the Creative Commons Public Domain mark.

CC0: "No rights reserved"

CC PD: "No known copyright"