Public Domain Sources – Graphic Chatter
News and information culled from the internet
What is the "Public Domain"?
The public domain is a concept within United States law that refers to creative works, inventions, or ideas that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. These works are free for anyone to use, reproduce, adapt, or distribute without seeking permission or paying royalties.
Public domain includes many kinds of content, chiefly expired copyrights, works created by the federal government, and works explicitly dedicated to the public domain by their creators.
Expiration of copyright protection is the primary way a work enters the public domain, that is, under current U.S. copyright law, most works created after January 1, 1978, are protected for the lifetime of the author plus 70 years. For works created by corporations or anonymously, the term is 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter.
Once this period ends, the work becomes part of the public domain, making it freely accessible to the public.
Government works: A significant contributor to the public domain is government-created work as works created by federal government employees as part of their official duties are automatically in the public domain. This covers a veariety of material, such as reports, photographs, and legislation. This rule does not apply to state or local government works, which may still be protected under copyright laws.
Some works are deliberately placed into the public domain sphere by their creators, relinquishing copyright protection. Tools like Creative Commons Zero (CC0) allow creators to waive all their rights, enabling others to use the material without restrictions. This concept of voluntary dedication to public domain is often done to promote collaboration, education, or innovation by removing legal barriers to the use of creative works.
Public Domain Sources
Library of Congress Copyright Office
National Archives Washington DC
Article on 2019 public domain sources
Getty Open Content Search Gateway [Public]
Google newspapers list – many old and defunct newspapers 1800s-1900s
The Ban List - Die Kasseler Liste Censored book list
Petapixel article: Paris Museums Put 60,000+ Historic Photos Online, Copyright-Free
Articles on internet about Public Domain:
Copyright and Wodehouse: The Suspicious Desert of Gutenberg Texts
How Can I Tell Whether a Copyright Was Renewed?
10 Big Myths about copyright explained by Brad Templeton
Electronic Frontier Foundation and DMCA
Wikipedia info on copyrights for various countries
Co-Authorship Claim and Copyright Law – August 19, 2021 – Natlaw Review
Wikipedia Public Domain list 2025 – Wikipedia
Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
The Berne Convention, adopted in 1886, deals with the protection of works and the rights of their authors. It provides creators such as authors, musicians, poets, painters etc. with the means to control how their works are used, by whom, and on what terms.
Monterey, California
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Washington DC