The Public Domain: How to Find & Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art & More

by Stephen Fishman J.D.

Overview

Find free content and save on permission fees

Millions of creative works—books, artwork, photos, songs, movies, and more—are available copyright-free in the public domain. Whether your tastes run to Beethoven or Irving Berlin, Edvard Munch or Claude Monet, you’ll find inspiration in The Public Domain.

The only book that helps you find and identify which creative works are protected by copyright and which are not, The Public Domain covers the rules for:

• writings
• music
• art
• photography
• architecture
• maps
• choreography
• movies
• video
• software
• databases
• collections

For the first time in decades, new works began to enter the public domain in 2019, and more are entering each year. The 9th edition is completely updated to include new public domain resources and to cover the latest legal changes to copyright protection of songs, books, photos, and other creative works, as well as public domain rules outside the U.S.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781413327564
Publisher:	NOLO
Publication date:	06/30/2020
Edition description:	Ninth Edition
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Stephen Fishman has dedicated his career as an attorney and author to writing useful, authoritative, and recognized guides on business, taxation, and intellectual property matters for small businesses, entrepreneurs, independent contractors, and freelancers. He is the author of 20 books and hundreds of articles, and has been quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and many other publications. Among his books are Every Landlord’s Tax Deduction Guide, Deduct It! Lower Your Small Business Taxes, and Working for Yourself: Law & Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers & Gig Workers of All Types, published by Nolo. He is a two-time recipient of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s Benjamin Franklin Award.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the Public Domain 2. The Use and Abuse of Copyright 3. Writingss 4. Music 5. Art 6. Photography 7. Movies and Television 8. Computer Software 9. Architecture 10. Maps 11. Choreography 12. Databases and Collections 13. Titles 14. Public Domain Elements in Copyright Writings 15. Copyrights Restored From Public Domain 16. The Public Domain Outside the United States 17. The Internet and the Public Domain 18. Copyright Protection: How Long Does It Last? 19. Copyright Notice Requirements 20. Traps for the Unwary 21. Researching Copyright Office Records 22. What if a Work Is Not in the Public Domain? Index

Interviews

New creative works are not built on inspiration alone. Writers, artists, and other creatives often copy and repurpose older works. How do they get away with it? Enter the world of the public domain, where everything is free for the taking, and the only secret to unlocking this treasure trove is knowing how to recognize free content and where to find it. With The Public Domain, you'll get specific information about finding copyright-free writings, music, art, photography, software, maps, databases, videos, and more

Editorial Reviews

A public domain was one of the Framers’ most important gifts to our cultural tradition. This extraordinary book makes real the value of that gift in the 21st century.” Lawrence W. Lessig, Stanford Law Professor & Author of Code & Other Laws of Cyberspace

"A unique guide to finding and using copyright-free material with no permission or fees necessary." Outstanding Academic Title Award by CHOICE

“A superb offering...” Chicago Tribune

“How do you tell the difference between what’s copyrighted and what isn’t? A good starting point is ... The Public Domain.” Associated Press

"This is absolutely the first book on the Public Domain — and it is WONDERFUL!!” Public Domain Information Project www.pdinfo.com

From the Publisher