What do Public Domain & Creative Commons mean?
Public Domain versus Creative Commons
Public Domain
Images, videos and other content that you did not create may enhance your presentations. Yet, it is important to make sure that you are not violating anyone's copyright. One strategy is to find public domain content to use.
Copyright.gov defines public domain as a work:
". . .no longer under copyright protection or [one that] 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."
Such works can be used without first seeking permission. This makes them ideal for many projects, particularly those extending beyond educational use.
Note: Even if a work is in the public domain, it is advisable to provide attribution. At a minimum, record the author for your records. This will allow you, and others, to find the original later if necessary.
Creative Commons
There may not always be something in the public domain that fits your needs. Creative Commons-licensed content can be a good alternative. When using CC-content, ensure that you correctly attribute it to the creator. There may be additional terms of the license the content is offered under, so double-check. You can find more information about this on the Creative Commons FAQ.
Note: A Creative Commons license, does not provide blanket permission to use the content without restraint. Remember, you must provide proper attribution and ensure your use does not violate the license.
This video from CreativeCommons.org offers an overview of Creative Commons.
How do the licenses work?
This infographic by adityadipankar provides quick intro to the various types of Creative Commons licenses. If you are interested in learning more about these licenses, CreativeCommons.org offers more information.
All Creative Commons licenses require attribution to the creator. Creative Commons Australia created a handout on best practices for providing attribution. It offers detailed information about proper attribution best practices.
Disclaimer
While the resources on this guide all aim to provide access to Creative Commons and public domain resources. Please note that we cannot guarantee that all of the resources found on these sites will not violate copyright.
Images
Public Domain
The following resources allow users to find public domain images for use in their projects. These are certainly not the only sources for public domain materials. They make it particularly easy, however, to find public domain images. Before using, read any terms of service to understand requirements on crediting and using images.
Please note that our listings here focus on cultural and government collections. We are no longer accepting resource suggestions for this page and cannot reply to requests to include unsolicited links.
- BingIn Bing Images you can limit your search results to Public Domain only. Click Filters select License in the menu below the search box and select Public Domain.
- British Library on FlickrThis is a collection of public domain resources from the British Library's collection. The albums included on this page are a great resource for inspiration and reuse.
- Flickr & Flickr's The CommonsFlickr includes an option to mark media on the site as in the Public Domain. Currently only a limited number of items bear this mark, it may expand over time. The Commons, which offers images without known copyright restrictions from over 70 institutions. In almost all cases, the images have already entered the Public Domain. Users can limit their searches to a specific institution by navigating to an institution's photostream. After searching within the photostream, licensing options are available in the Any License menu.
- Getty Open Content ProgramThe Getty recently started an Open Content Program to "share images of works of art in an unrestricted manner, freely, so that all those who create or appreciate art…will have greater access to high-quality digital images for their studies and projects." Run a search and then filter in the Highlights section of the left menu. There is a checkbox option for Open Content Images. All images found through this program should be credited as "Digital image courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program."
- Metropolitan MuseumIn early 2017, the Met Museum implemented an open access policy. They assign a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) to two categories of images. First, any images of artworks the Museum believes to be in the public domain. Second, those to which the Museum waives any copyright it might have, for any purpose. This allows for free commercial or noncommercial use, without requiring permission from the Museum. See the link for more info about searching for and identifying these images.
- NASANASA's website offers access to many of their images, audio files, videos and other media. These works are generally not copyrighted and freely available for use.
- National Gallery of Art (U.S.)NGA Images is a digital repository of the collections of the National Gallery of Art. On this website you can search, browse, share, and download images. A standards-based reproduction guide and a help section provide advice for both novices and experts. 45,000+ open access digital images up to 4000 pixels each are free to use. NGA Images is designed to facilitate learning, enrichment, enjoyment, and exploration.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAs government images, nearly the entire collection is in the public domain. The website states that you must credit NOAA if you use one of their images. They especially encourage educational use.
- Public Domain Image ResourcesWikipedia maintains a page of online resources for finding public domain images and other content. Not all of the sites include exclusively public domain images. However, this list is a good place to start, particularly if you need specialized items.
- The Public Domain ReviewThis resource curates a collection of images, books, films and audio in the public domain. The collection can be browsed by medium, time period, tag and source. Once in a collection, you can also sort by the type of public domain rights (for example, whether it is in the public domain everywhere in the world).
- RijksmuseumImages on the Rijksmuseum website are fully searchable and downloadable. Each public domain item includes this information in the item description under Acquisition and Rights. Over 300,000 images are available.
- Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: as seen in prints and archivesThis exhibition is provided by the British Library and the Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR). It includes 235 prints held by the British Library now in the public domain. Available in both English and Japanese.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Image GalleryThe U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains images related to their work. As they are mostly government images, nearly all are in the public domain. Any images that are not in the public domain are marked accordingly.
- Yale University Art GalleryUnder Yale University’s Open Access policy, "anyone may use the [Art] Gallery’s open-access material without further application, authorization, or fees due to the Gallery or to Yale." There is currently no way to limit search results to only public domain items. However, when you click an item, the entry will state whether it is public domain. More information on properly attributing images is available on the Terms of Use page.
Creative Commons
If you can't find Public Domain images, you can also use Creative Commons-licensed content. The sources below make finding these images, and properly attributing them, quick and easy.
- BingIn Bing Images you can limit your search results to Creative Commons only. Click Filters select License in the menu below the search box. You can select either All Creative Commons or the specific license that fits your needs.
- CompfightCompfight shows both commercial and Creative Commons images. However, it groups non-Creative Commons images in a separate section to make the distinction clear. After searching, you can narrow by license type using the facets in the left menu.
- Creative CommonsThe Creative Commons website includes an option to search for Creative Commons content across sources. Resources include Flickr, Google and Wikimedia Commons among many others.
- EuropeanaEuropeana is an online collection of content from European libraries, archives, museums and other institutions. After searching, you can limit to results that are available under a Creative Commons license. Use the facets under Rights Statement in the right menu.
- FlickrAll its images in the Digital Image Library are offered under a CC BY-SA license.
- Folger Shakespeare Library Digital Image LibraryAll its images in the Digital Image Library are offered under a CC BY-SA license.
- Google ImagesYou can limit your search results to only images available under a Creative Commons license. However, not all images on Google Images are Creative Commons licensed. First, run a standard Google Image search. Then on the results page, click on Search Tools just below the search box. A drop down menu will appear with usage rights as one of the options. From there, users can limit results to Creative Commons licenses.
- Multicolr Search LabThis tool from TinEye allows you to search for Creative Commons-licensed images by color. Users can enter up to five colors to search simultaneously. Multicolr will return dozens of images that include all of the selected colors. Images are pulled from Flickr.
- PhotoPinThis image search engine returns both Creative Commons and non-Creative Commons images. When downloading any image, you can also download the HTML to appropriately attribute the image.
- Photos for ClassThis tool is designed for teachers. It allows users to search through Creative Commons images appropriate to the classroom. As an added bonus, citation information is automatically included when the images are downloaded.
- Wikimedia CommonsThis site offers fully searchable access to media, including images, sounds and videos. The files have been uploaded by users, mostly for use on Wikipedia. Most of the content is available under some sort of Creative Commons license. Licensing information is clearly provided at the bottom of each piece of media's individual page.
Audio
Public Domain Audio Content
The resources below offer access to music and other audio files in the public domain.
- Choral Public Domain LibraryThis section of the ChoralWiki provides access to public domain music. While much of the site is devoted to scores, it also includes some audio files.
- MusopenMusopen is a non-profit with an aim of making music freely and openly available. It provides public domain music and allows users to upload their own music public domain. The site also offers access to public domain sheet music.
- Digital HistoryThe Digital History Project is provided by the Universities of Texas, Houston and Hawaii. It provides access to historical music that their research indicates as in the public domain.
- NASA On SoundCloudNASA offers a variety of audio content on SoundCloud. The content is "generally not copyrighted" and may be reused.
Creative Commons Audio Content
If you can’t find a public domain audio clip, there are many resources available. Some of the best tools to find Creative Commons audio clips are below.
- ccMixterThis website helps users to create and share mixes and samples that are Creative Commons-licensed.
- FreesoundFreesound helps users upload recordings or creations and share them under a Creative Commons license. Users can release works as public domain or select one of two Creative Commons licenses. Review the licensing and attribution information for each sound you use.
- CreativeCommons.orgThis site makes it easy to search for Creative Commons-licensed materials. It searches across many websites, including three that focus exclusively on music.
- JamendoThis allows you to search only music that is shared under specific Creative Commons licenses. Use the Advanced Search features to limit searches.
- Wikipedia Sound/listWikipedia provides access to a wide range public domain and Creative Commons-licensed music. While the music is marked "free," this is not synonymous with "in the Public Domain." You will need to review the license information to ensure you attribute it properly.
- IncompetechThis site offers a wide variety of royalty free music under a CC BY license.
Video
Public Domain Video Content
The following will help you find public domain videos from a variety of sources. These videos are great for a wide range of multimedia projects. They can be reused, modified, and otherwise incorporated into your own creative works.
- National Park Service B-Roll archiveThis website provides access to public domain videos from National Park service sites. It includes "national parks, monuments, battlefields, historic sites and related areas".
- Prelinger ArchiveThis archive, offers access to a large number of public domain movies and videos.
- Vimeo Public Domain ChannelVimeo offers an entire channel devoted to videos that are in the public domain.
- YouTube: Unroyalty.comFree, public domain videos that may be used for commercial purposes.
Creative Commons Video Content
These resources provide access to Creative Commons-licensed video content.
- Internet Archive Stock FootageThis provides access to video shared under a variety of licenses, including Creative Commons. Public domain footage is also available. You can limit your search to specific license types using the Advanced Search feature.
- CreativeCommons.orgThis site makes it easy to search for Creative Commons-licensed content. It searches across several websites, including one devoted solely to video.
- Moving Image ArchiveThis portion of the Internet Archive offers access to thousands of Creative Commons-licensed videos. It is organized into subcollections by subject.
- VimeoVimeo offers the option to both browse and search Creative Commons-licensed content. For searching use the advanced filters.
- WikiMedia CommonsContains public domain and Creative Commons license media.
- YouTubeYouTube offers the option to browse Creative Commons-licensed content. You can also filter your search results to only include Creative Commons-licensed videos.
Other Video Content
- VidevoVidevo offers completely free stock video footage and motion graphics for use in any project. Both commercial or non-commercial is permitted, using its own license or CC 3.0 license. Videvo includes over 5000 videos.
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CC License
CC License
This guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
You may reproduce any part of it for noncommercial purposes as long as credit is included and it is shared in the same manner.