Public+Domain

= Public Domain =

Some original, creative works in a fixed form are not protected under copyright. We can use them without permission from the author, however they still require proper citation. When using public domain materials, you can borrow all or part of a work - print or digital - without violating copyright. Public domain material is such that the copyright owner has give up, to the public at large, all of his or her original rights to the work. Since the U.S. Copyright Law has been amended many times since its inception, there can be no simple statement about works in the public domain. The following are a few guidelines:
 * works published before 1923
 * works published between 1923 and 1963 with a copyright notice but no renewal of copyright
 * works published between 1923 and 1978 with no copyright notice
 * works published between 1978 and March 1, 1989, with no copyright notice and no registration
 * works to which the author/owner has given up all rights


 * NOTE**: Since March 1, 1989, the inclusion of a copyright notice on any form of material has been optional. Therefore, do not assume that if there is no copyright date that is is in the public domain.

What works are in the public domain?
 * most federal documents
 * phone books
 * works with expired copyrights
 * works for which creators/owners have chose to give up their copyrights
 * freeware
 * things that cannot be copyrighted (names, short phrases, titles, ideas, facts)
 * some clip art
 * works published in 1923 or before
 * some works published between 1923 and 1963

Public Domain explained Public Domain chart
 * Resources:**