Explore millions of items from the Library's digital collections that are free to use and reuse, either in the public domain or with permission. Browse sets of content based on themes such as friendship, flags, art, history, and more.

Learn what public domain means and how works enter the public domain. Find out the rules and exceptions for using public domain materials in the U.S.

Learn how to dedicate your work to the public domain or find works that are free of copyright restrictions. Creative Commons offers CC0 and Public Domain Mark tools to help you label and discover public domain works.

Learn what public domain means and how it affects creative works. Find out how long a work is protected by copyright, how to access public domain material, and how to re-copyright adaptations.

Learn when content is in the public domain under U.S. and international copyright law, and how to use it without permission. Find out the reasons, examples and differences of public domain works across countries and time periods.

Learn about the history and scope of public domain in the U.S., where works are not covered by copyright or their rights have expired. Find examples of public-domain literature, images, sound recordings, videos and films.

Public Work is a visual search engine for public domain content. Explore 100,000+ copyright-free images from The MET, New York Public Library, and other sources.

What is the Public Domain? The term “public domain” encompasses those materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. No individual owns these works; rather, they are owned by the public.

Creative Commons is an international nonprofit organization that empowers people to share knowledge and culture using open licenses and tools. Learn how to use CC licenses, find openly licensed materials, and join a global community of open advocates.