Here are the basics of what falls into the public domain:

Works published before 1923 are in the public domain.

Works published between 1923 and 1963 are in the public domain IF their copyright was not renewed 28 years after the initial copyright.

These are the bare bones basics of what falls into the Public Domain.

Learning about the nitty-gritty of the public domain can be confusing at times. There are many variables that come into play for some items.

There are a few resources that I use often to figure out if something is in the public domain:

For a helpful table of PD guidelines CLICK HERE.

There is one person who is absolutely wonderful at explaining the public domain legalities in plain english – and that is Mr. Tony Laidig. I highly recommend you check out his site.

There is a book published by Nolo (legal guide publisher) that has been a valuable resource for me. It is a cross between plain english and legal speech. I have no idea WHY there is a dog on the cover ! – cute dog though !

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Filed under: Public Domain Guidelines