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Copyright and Licensing
This guide provides basic information on copyright and licensing of creative works.
Works not under copyright
There are three main categories of creative works that may not be covered by traditional copyright restrictions.
Public domain works - works for which the copyright has expired, was never applied for, or has been forfeited.
Creative Commons works - works governed by a Creative Commons license allow more options for reuse and adaptation..
Open Source - works such as software that has been released in an open way for anyone to reuse, augment, or adapt. Many open source works do have license restrictions.
The sources below are useful for identifying creative works such as music, images, etc. that might be available for use and adaptation.
The Big Ones
- Internet ArchiveProbably the largest and best known of the sites that make public domain materials available. This site has it all: books, music, movies, video, old advertising and industrial training films, you name it. Plus it has the Wayback Machine. Note that not everything linked here is in the public domain. Some materials such as eBooks must be checked out.
- Library of Congress Digital CollectionsThe Library of Congress Digital Collections comprise an astonishing array of audio and video files, scanned books and images, websites, as well as maps and manuscripts. "Whenever possible, each collection has its own rights statement which should be consulted for guidance on use. Learn more about copyright and the Library's collections." - LC website
- Wikimedia CommonsCreative Commons materials can be found everywhere. This site enables you to search for images, sound files, and videos that are free to use.
Images
- Art Institute of Chicago ImagesThe Art Institute of Chicago offers online access to images of art works from its collections, many are freely downloadable under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license.
- Digital Public Library of America“All of the materials found through DPLA—photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, government documents, and so much more—are free and immediately available in digital format.” - From “About Us” - DPLA
- Library of Congress Open Access Image CollectionsHistorical and cultural photos, political posters, travel pictures and fine prints.
- Museo - Image search engine"Museo is a visual search engine that connects you with the Art Institute of Chicago, the Rijksmuseum, the Harvard Art Museums, the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the New York Public Library Digital Collection and more to come! Every image here is in the public domain and completely free to use, although crediting the source institution is recommended!"
- WMU Libraries Digital Image CollectionsAccess more than 100,000 digital images from historical photographs of Western Michigan University to illustrations of mid-18th-century dress.
Music/Audio
- Internet Archive Audio/MusicLive concert recordings, old-time radio programs (like The Shadow), 78 RPM and wax cylinder recordings, religious sermons, and audiobooks. Many materials are available for download. You may also upload your own content (as long as you include a Creative Commons license).
- LibriVoxVolunteers from around the world record audio book chapters (to U.S. public domain works) and upload the audio files to this site. Lots of classic literature is here.
- National Jukebox - Library of CongressThe National Jukebox provides a range of historical musical recordings from America's history in streaming audio format. "The Jukebox includes recordings from the extraordinary collections of the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation and other contributing libraries and archives." - About the Jukebox.
- SoundcloudThis website (and corresponding smartphone app) is an open platform for content creators and remixers in the music and audio fields to upload their recordings directly to the public. Most of the content is free to listen to online. To download content for offline use, a subscription fee is required.
