How to Use Public Domain Materials
Discover Where to Find Copyright-Free Works
Artists and writers looking for inspiration may be able to find it in the millions of creative works available in the public domain. Creative works that are a part of the public domain include books, illustrations, music, artwork and photography.
Material that is a part of the public domain is no longer protected by copyright law and is available use without seeking permission. Som examples of works in the the public domain include: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift and the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci.
How to Determine if a Creative Work is in the Public Domain
When a creative work's copyright expires, the work becomes part of the public domain. Stephen Fishman in his book The Public Domain How to Find and Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art and More explains a work that is part of the public domain can be freely copied, modified or presented without asking for permission or paying a usage fee. Plays by Shakesphere can copy and performed without authorization and without paying any royalties since they are no longer protected by copyright law.
For books, the general guideline to determine if a work is in the public domain is the published date. As a general guide, anything published in the United States before 1923 is a part of the public domain. Or works that were published between 1923 and 1963 and not renewed on the 28th year are a part of the public domain.
Works completed by the federal goverment are also usually in the public domain. A great deal of statistics and other information is available for your use with out requiring approval for use.
Where to Find Public Domain Works
There are a variety of resources available to help you find works that are a part of the public domain. Google features a a large digital selection of books. By searching on their site you can find quite of few works that were published prior to 1923. Another site providing public domain materials is the Open Content Alliance web site. Additional online resources that allow you to search by publication date include Albris.com.
Your local library is also a great place to research possible materials that may be in the public domain. Look up your subject and seek out all the books the library has on-hand. Look in particular for those works copyrighted prior to 1923.
Government materials can found on a variety of government web sites. A complete lisitng of publications completed by the United State Government can be found at firstgov.gov. Or try searching the government search engine on Google.
Whether you are an artist working looking for inspiration or a writer in search of information you can use, creative works in the public domain offer a good variety of materials that are free to use without permission or cost. For more in-depth informaiton regarding public domain materials, check out books on the topic at your local library or web sites such as Public Domain Resource.
Sources:
Fishman, Stephen, The Public Domain, How to Find and Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art and More, CA, NOLO, 2008
Some Classic Works Are Part of the Public Domain.
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