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Copyright: Public Domain and Free Resources

Public Domain

What is the Public Domain?
  • The Public Domain contains works that are not protected by copyright.
  • It is not a place, but a term that is used to define the level of copyright.  The term Public Domain "is a concept that refers to everything not protected by copyright.
  • Works designated as public domain are generally free to use in any manner because the work either never had copyright protection or the copyright has expired.
What is in the Public Domain?
  • Works produced by the U. S. government are not protected by copyright, but works produced by state and local governments may be, depending on the laws in the area.  Check the State Copyright map for information on state copyright laws.
  • Works placed in the public domain by the creator/author.
  • Procedures, facts, ideas, methods of operation, and concepts are not protected by copyright, so they are part of the public domain.
  • Works whose copyright has expired. 
    • Works published before January 1, 1926, are in the public domain.  More resources are released to the public domain every year on January 1 as the copyright term expires.
  • Works that the creator/author has licensed with a CC0 license.  

What is the Public Domain

Free Resources

The sites below offer free to use images.  To avoid plagiarism you still need to provide attribution for any resource you use. 

The sites below offer free to use media.  To avoid plagiarism you still need to provide attribution for any resource you use. 

The sites below offer free to use books.  To avoid plagiarism you still need to provide attribution for any resource you use. 

What are OERs?

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are "teaching, learning, and research materials in any medium, digital or otherwise, that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation, and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions." (2012 Paris OER Declaration).

OERs are created through Creative Commons Licenses.  Users have the right to retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute an OER.  Each OER should have a license explaining the uses available for the user.