Sally Gore, MS, MSLIS
Manager, Research & Scholarly Communications Services
sally.gore@umassmed.edu
Lisa Palmer, MSLS, AHIP
Institutional Repository Librarian
lisa.palmer@umassmed.edu
Tess Grynoch, MLIS
Research Data & Scholarly Communications Librarian
tess.grynoch@umassmed.edu
Leah Honor, MLIS
Research Data & Scholarly Communications Librarian
leah.honor@umassmed.edu
Please refer to our guides for specific information about:
This LibGuide contains information and links to resources about copyright.
The information provided here should NOT be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, please consult an attorney.
The Public Domain is the term used to describe the set of works not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. It is the name for those works that are held in common by the public and can be used freely as a resource for new knowledge.
Four common ways that works fall into the public domain include:
Works in the public domain may be used freely without the permission of the former copyright owner (U.S. Copyright Office). It is highly recommended that you give proper attribution, however.
You can use the Digital Copyright Slider to find out if a work is in the Public Domain.
This tool can help you determine if a work is in the public domain.