OER at HFC (Open Educational Resource)

Works that are in the Public Domain are freely available for you to use outright or to transform into something new. While you do not have to give credit for Public Domain works (according to a 2003 Supreme Court ruling), you probably want to model how not to plagiarize for your students.

There are some types of works that are in the Public Domain:

• Those that are out of Copyright (1924 or older).
• Some works between 1924 and 1968, but you would need to check the copyright office for each work.
• Creators can dedicate their work to the Public Domain.
• It is something that was not able to be copyrighted in the first place-- facts, non-tangible things, ideas, U.S. Government publications, etc.

Where to find Public Domain creations?

Guide to Finding Public Domain Works Online

Public Domain Texts:

Public Domain Images:

Public Domain Audio & Video:

Public Domain Federal Government Resources: