What is the public domain?
Public Domain Frequently Asked Questions What is the public domain? Public domain works are not restricted by copyright and do not require a license or fee to use. Public domain status allows the user unrestricted access and unlimited creativity! There are three main categories of public domain works: Works that automatically enter the public domain upon creation, because they are not copyrightable: Titles, names, short phrases and slogans, familiar symbols, numbers Ideas and facts (e.g., the date of the Gettysburg Address) Processes and systems Government works and documents1 Works that have been assigned to the public domain by their creators Works that have entered the public domain because the copyright on them has expired (Note: Use of some works, such as ideas and symbols, may be restricted by other laws, such as patent, trademark, or trade secret.) What works have expired into the public domain?2 All works published in the U.S. before 1923 All works published with a copyright no...