COPYRIGHT RESOURCES

PUBLIC DOMAIN

What is public domain?

Copyrights eventually expire. And some creators choose to waive their copyright. When that happens, a resource enters Public Domain.

How can I tell if the author waived copyright?

Look a Public Domain statement or one of these circular symbols. The hashed-out 'C' means "No Copyright," and the encircled zero is a type of Creative Commons license.

Is the copyright expired?

For written works, copyright ends 70 years after the author's death. But the law has changed over time. Use this tool to determine if copyright has expired.