Since this directory was compiled in the United States, most of the sources provided are located in the United States, and provide works that are in the public domain in the United States. Some of these sources may provide works that are in the public domain in one country, but not in another. When using any work, check its individual public domain status in your country.
Public Domain Resources DirectoryMultiple Category Sources
Books, Ebooks, & Other Print
Audio Books
Images
Music & Other Sounds
Sheet Music
Movies
| Software
Patents
Other Public Domain Sources
Sites that Charge for Materials
World-wide copyright websites by country
Unofficial Information and Tools
Volunteer to Improve the Public Domain |
Use (ctrl + f) to search for keywords on this page
General, multiple category Public Domain Resources
archive.org/index.php
eduscapes.com/tap/topic98.htm
eusd4kids.org/edtech/public_domain.htm
infodigi.com/Public_Domain/interface.html (film, images, music, patents)
opencast.de (videos, books, audio books, other historical sources)
people.uwec.edu/koroghcm/public_domain.htm
public.resource.org
savetz.com/pd/
sdst.org/shs/library/cfimages.html (images and sound)
Public Domain Books, ebooks, articles, poems, other print
archives.gov
asksam.com/ebooks (books were taken from PD sources, but may not be PD since they're derivative works, check the license for use)
authorama.com/
bartleby.com
classic-literature.co.uk/
googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/11/preserving-public-domain-books.html
gpoaccess.gov
gutenberg.ca - Gutenberg Canada
gutenberg.org/ (Many other sites get their material from this one)
icon.shef.ac.uk/Moby/
infomotions.com/alex/
manybooks.net
openlibrary.org/
planetpdf.com/free_pdf_ebooks.asp
sunsite3.berkeley.edu/Literature/
ucalgary.ca/~dkBrown/storclas.html
vintagesewing.info/index.html (All sewing ebooks to read online)
Audio Books
librivox.org
Public Domain Images
(some sources also available in PD books, some of these pages are list of links to other sources)
antiqueclipart.com
bittbox.com/resources/35-stunning-hi-res-public-domain-astronomy-images/
burningwell.org
clker.com
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:GFDL
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Public_domain
coolnotions.com/PDImages/PDImages.htm
cromavista.ricardomartin.info
dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/20/15451/6564 (some of these sources are actually under Creative Commons lincense.)
dlzz.net
dmoz.org/Computers/Graphics/Clip_Art/Public_Domain
donaldedavis.com/PARTS/allyours.html
easystockphotos.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources
flickr.com/groups/public
flickr.com/photos/pingnews/collections/72157600007938726/
flickr.com/photos/vaguery/sets/72157602916068570/
freeclipartnow.com/
freephotos.se
fromoldbooks.org/
grandmasgraphics.com/index.php
gimp-savvy.com/PHOTO-ARCHIVE/
karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images
library.uni.edu/instruction/tips/guidepublicdomain.shtml
mentalized.net/activity-indicators
nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/historicalanatomies/home.html
nps.gov/hfc/carto/map-symbols.htm
oldbookart.com
openclipart.org
pddoc.com/reflets/index.html
photo.itc.nps.gov/storage/images
photographiclibraries.com/index.php?c=10
photolib.noaa.gov
photolib.noaa.gov/otherphotos.html
photos8.com
pdclipart.org
pdimages.com/web6.htm
pdphoto.org (some not in PD)
picdrome.com
princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/histlink.htm
princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/clipart.html
public-domain-photos.com
public-domain-image.com
public-domain.zorger.com/
public.resource.org/index.html
publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com
publicdomainpictures.net
publicdomainsherpa.com/public-domain-photographs.html
srufaculty.sru.edu/david.dailey/public/public_domain.htm
teachpol.tcnj.edu/amer_pol_hist
turbophoto.com/Free-Stock-Images
unclesamsphotos.com
usa.gov/Topics/Graphics.shtml
wpclipart.com
Public Domain Medical Images:
flickr.com/photos/7718440@N08/sets/72157601676092605/
gutenberg.org/browse/loccs/r
gutenberg.org/browse/loccs/qr.html.utf8.gz
gutenberg.org/browse/loccs/qp.html.utf8.gz
gutenberg.org/browse/loccs/qm
Public Domain Music, Audio, Sounds (listen, download)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sound/list
foldedspace.org/weblog/2006/06/in_the_good_old_summertime.html
musopen.com/
mutopiaproject.org (some creative commons, some PD)
pdsounds.org/
pdotr.blogspot.com
publicdomain4u.com
publicdomainworks.net
thebots.net/GWBushSampleArchive.htm (phrases from former Pres. GW Bush
Public Domain Sheet Music
cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
distasis.com/recipes/pdmuse.htm
sheetmusicfox.com
imslp.org
imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page
mutopiaproject.org (some creative commons, some PD)
pdinfo.com/link.htm
pianopublicdomain.com
Public Domain Movies (watch and/or download)
archive.org/details/feature_films
archive.org/details/movies
bulk.resource.org/ntis.gov/
emol.org/movies/freemovies.html
imovies.blogspot.com
pdcomedy.com/
photographiclibraries.com/index.php?c=10
publicdomainflicks.com/
publicdomainmovies.info
publicdomaintorrents.com (Red band from McAfee Site Advisor)
moviesfoundonline.com/public_domain.php
video.google.com/nara.html
vintagetooncast.com
Public Domain Software
fsf.org
sqlite.org
pdcurses.sourceforge.net
Patents in Public Domain
Search for patents whose date of issue is 20 years or older.
freepatentsonline.com
Google Patent Search - google.com/patents
Other Public Domain Resources
National Park maps - home.nps.gov/applications/hafe/hfc/carto.cfm
Goverment pamphlets - public.resource.org/index.html
Foreign Language courses - fsi-language-courses.com/
Sites that Charge for the material
desertislandfilms.com/index.html - hard copies of PD films
fesfilms.com/index.htm - films and music
pdimages.com - PD images for sale, with some free-to-read articles
pdinfo.com/index.php - charge for their downloads
publicdomainfootage.com - stock footage
retrofilmvault.com - movies, stock footage, other videos
sheetmusicarchive.net - sheet music
buyoutfootage.com - stock footage
publicdomainreprints.org - reprinting services, print hard copy PD works
World-wide copyright websites
United States of America Copyright office - copyright.gov
United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office - ipo.gov.uk
Unofficial Information about the public domain and tools
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2006/11/8291.ars - Beatles music to enter the PD
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2006/11/8292.ars - The value of the PD
bookrags.com - Search engine for research, includes some PD sources, some free some not
booksearch.blogspot.com/2007/07/greater-access-to-public-domain-works.html - Google PD book search
booksearch.blogspot.com/2008/06/us-copyright-renewal-records-available.html -US copyright renewal records downloads from Google
bromsun.com/practices/copyright-portfolio-development/flowchart.htm - Flowchart
cbc.ca/money/story/2009/01/12/publicdomain2.html - Popeye, Grey Owl and Robert Service join PD
cinemainsomnia.com/cult.html - Mr. Lobo's list of PD cult films
copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain - Description of PD in an easy-to-read table
copylaw.com/new_articles/PublicDomain.html -New rules for using the public domain by an attorney
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Public_domain_films - List of PD films
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain - Description of Public Domain on Wikipedia
kdla.ky.gov/libsupport/libwebhelp/copyright.htm - explains difference between copyright, PD and fair use
law.duke.edu/cspd - Center for the study of the PD, Duke Law
law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/index - Bound by Law book, by Duke (the book itself is under a Creative Commons license)
lawrence.edu/library/guides/pubdomain.shtml - Finding PD texts, images and music
librarycopyright.net/digitalslider - Nice slider tool
librarycopyright.net/wordpress - Copyright advisory for librarians
linuxjournal.com/article/6225 - Lawyer claims software or recent works are NOT in PD
logosfoundation.org/copyleft/public_domain_composers.html - List of composers in PD
openflix.com - Directory of movies in PD
pdimages.com - PD some free-to-read articles (images are for sale)
pdinfo.com/copyrt.php - Simple description
pdinfo.com/list/g.htm - List of PD music
pdmdb.org/default.asp - PD movie database
public-domain.org - Public Domain Union
publicdomainsherpa.com - PD description, misconceptions, etc.
roytennant.com/proto/harvest - U of Michigan PD book search
thepublicdomain.org - Book of opinion of PD
wiki.creativecommons.org/Cultivating_the_Public_Domain - Cultivating the PD
wfhsearch.com/1/3.htm - Finding free material
writ.news.findlaw.com/commentary/20020305_sprigman.html - The mouse that ate the public domain
yupnet.org/boyle
Volunteer to Help Improve the Public Domain
evan-roth.com/public_domain_donor.php - Copyright donor card
librivox.org - become a reader for audio books
pgdp.net/c - Proofreaders for PD works
See also the Creative Commons Resources Directory