Copyright: Public Domain

A public domain work is a creative work that is not protected by copyright and which may be freely used by everyone. The United States Copyright Office defines the Public domain as: "The public domain is not a place. A work of authorship is in the “public domain” if it is no longer under copyright protection or if it failed to meet the requirements for copyright protection. Works in the public domain may be used freely without the permission of the former copyright owner."

Many believe all information published or sponsored by the U.S. Government or available from a U.S. government source, such as a government website, is in the public domain.

However, many documents and websites produced by and for the US Government may contain copyrighted information.

• A privately created work included, with permission, in a U.S. Government work does not place the private work into the public domain.
• Works produced by contractors and grantees for the governments are often copyrighted. In such cases, the Government is granted a nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license in the work to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, and to allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes^. The Government’s license does not place these works in the public domain.
• A copyrighted work for which the copyright has been transferred to the Government by assignment or bequest is not in the public domain.
• Government websites may contain both copyrighted and public domain materials with different terms and restrictions for use.
• Government products and websites may include embedded information (e.g., quotation, photograph, chart, drawing, etc.) that is copyrighted but used under license or with permission. The government’s license or permitted use of a copyrighted work does not place it in the public domain.
• Government websites may include copyrighted work licensed to the government by the rights holder. Because the copyright owner retains its exclusive rights under the copyright, the work is not in the public domain.
• Government websites and products may include links to copyrighted information or licensed materials that are provided to the public only upon limited terms and conditions of use.
• Government websites may provide access to software that is protected by copyright and/or patent. Terms of use should be provided on the government website. Such access does not place the software in the public domain.

The user is responsible for determining whether or not a work is in the public domain.

However, the lack of clear, consistent, and prominent copyright statements on government websites and the fact that most information produced by and for the Government is not marked upon creation with its copyright status makes it difficult for users to determine their right to use information on government websites.

Information extracted from a CENDI report Don’t Keep the Public Guessing.

• Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States

  This chart was first published in Peter B. Hirtle, "Recent Changes To The Copyright Law: Copyright Term Extension," Archival Outlook, January/February 1999. This version is current as of 1 January 2018.

• Duke Law Center for the Study of the Public Domain

  The Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law School is the first university center in the world devoted to the other side of the picture. Founded in September of 2002, as part of the school's wider intellectual property program, its mission is to promote research and scholarship on the contributions of the public domain to speech, culture, science and innovation, to promote debate about the balance needed in our intellectual property system and to translate academic research into public policy solutions.

• Standford University Libraries LibGuide to The Public Domain

  "Welcome to the Public Domain” and “Public Domain Trouble Spots” sections.

• University of Minnesota Libraries Copyright Services: The Public Domain

  The University of Minnesota Libraries Copyright Services is a part of the Libraries Open Scholarship and Publishing Services unit. This link directs you to their the Public Domain LibGuide.

Copyright-free image sites for icons, photos, etc.

• U.S. Army Featured Photos

  The Army through the Army lens.

• FEMA Multi-Media Collections

  Federal Emergency Management Agency collection of multi-media resources grouped by event or office.

• FEMA Photos, Videos and Audio Collection

  Federal Emergency Management Agency collection of individual, ungrouped photgraphs, videos and audio recordings.

• Image After

  In the imageafter.com 'image' directory you can expect free high resolution images of objects, places, animals, mechanics, insects, signs, circuits and plants etc. All stock photos can be freely downloaded and used in you commercial or personal works.

• Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog

  Images from the LOC Prints & Photographs Division.

• Pics4Learning (may not work on .mil network)

  Quality images donated by students, teachers, and amateur photographers.

• Pixabay (may not work on .mil network)

            Find your perfect free image or video to download and use. 

• Smithsonian Institution Public Domain Images (Flikr)

  Smithsonian Institution Flikr image repository.

• U.S. Air Force Art Link

  Including a searchable database of items such as Air Force posters, emblems and shields, historical records, cartoons and weapons

• U.S. Air Force Photos

• U.S. Coast Guard Historians Office

  Photographs, including reproductions and scans of drawings, illustrations, and images, depicting the U.S. Coast Guard and its five predecessor agencies: the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life-Saving Service, the Lighthouse Service, the Bureau of Navigation, and the Steamboat Inspection Service from the Coast Guard Archives and Special Collections, Coast Guard, and National Archives.
  NOTE: Images provided are in the public domain.

• U.S. Department of Defense Imagery Management Operations Center (DIMOC)

  Extensive repository of DoD images. Often slow loading.

• U.S. Marine Corps Photos

• U.S. Military Service Seals

  Official United States Military Service Seals and Emblems.

• U.S. Navy Photo Gallery

  United States Navy photographic collection.

Directory of Open Access Journals

NOTE: Slow Loading from this link.
Free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals, covering all subjects and many languages. Over 6936 journals, 3135 journals searchable at article level, 618744 articles.

• Countries & Areas Archive: US Department of State

  An A-Z list of countries (with related maps and fact sheets) maintained by the United States Department of State. Includes information on embassies and consulates, as well as travel advisories.

• University of Texas-Austin Library Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

  NOTE: Check usage statement and verify public domain status.
  As a courtesy, wherever these maps are used on the project they should be attributed to the University of Texas Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. While the historical maps are public domain, not all records held by the Library are public domain.