Answered By: Heather Brown
Last Updated: Sep 28, 2021     Views: 80

Works are in the "public domain" if they are:

  • not covered by Copyright protection
  • Copyright protection has expired, or
  • Copyright protection has been forfeited

Generally the only materials in the public domain are materials produced before 1926 and materials produced by the United States Federal Government.  Materials produced by state or city government are not in the public domain. Most images and information found through generic internet searches retain their copyright protections even if not clearly displayed on the image or information.

Since the Berne Convention in 1978 anything in a fixed format is protected by copyright.  Kenneth Crews defines fixed format as  If you can see it, read it, watch it, or hear it – with or without the use of a computer, projector, or other machine, the work is likely eligible for copyright protection.”  (Crews, Kenneth (2000) Copyright essentials for librarians and educators.  Chicago, American Library Association, 2000.)

If you are in need of stock images, please use one of the University’s stock image subscriptions to avoid a claim of copyright infringement by a third party.

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