Public Domain Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
Guiding Questions What is the public domain? How long until a work enters public domain? How can I tell if something is in the public domain? How can I use public domain materials? Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
What is the public domain? Materials that are no longer, or never were protected by copyright For example: o Works by the federal government o Works on which the copyright has expired o Works that were never covered by intellectual property laws (e.g. titles) Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
How long until a work enters public domain? Currently seventy years beyond the creator’s death (usually) The status of most protected works is complicated as copyright law has been amended many times over the last century Books and other materials published before 1923 typically belong to the public domain Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
How long until a work enters public domain? There are several helpful charts that can help you figure out how copyright terms work: o By Professor Lolly Gasaway at the University of North Carolina: o By Peter Hirtle at Cornell’s Copyright Center: cfm cfm Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
How do I know if something is in the public domain? The U.S. Copyright Office has copyright information for registered works o contains information for works registered after o For works registered earlier, try checking Stanford’s Copyright Renewal Database at Check the publisher or author website Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
Check the work closely for a creative commons license or other type of license o Licenses take precedence over copyright o Licenses are different than public domain but may still allow you to use the work How do I know if something is in the public domain? Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
How can I use public domain materials? Anyone can use works that have fallen into the public domain however it is important to still respect the ‘moral rights’ of the creator o Moral rights include (but are not limited to) Right of paternity– the right of the original creator to be recognized as such Right of integrity – the right to prevent work from being distorted in ways that impact the reputation of the creator Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
Questions? Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
Other Resources Copyright Education & Consultation Page on public domain o U.S. Copyright Office o Tales from the Public Domain: Bound by Law? o Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program
More Info … The Copyright Education & Consultation Program is funded by a Library and Technical Services Grant Administered by the Illinois State Library Please visit our website at Slides produced by the Copyright Education & Consultation Program