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

Stephen Fishman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Public Domain | Publication Date: January 2001

Even though grade-school teachers have told us otherwise for years, you can copy other people's creative work and get away with it. How? By dipping into the public domain, where everything is free for the taking.

The first book of its kind, The Public Domain is the definitive guide to the creative works that are not protected by copyright and can be copied freely or otherwise used without paying permission fees.

The book explains step-by-step how to recognize when a work is in the public domain. Chapters cover:

* writings
* music
* art
* architecture
* maps
* choreography
* photography
* film and video
* computer software and databases

The book also lists hundreds of resources, such as websites, libraries and archives, useful for locating public domain works.

Destined to become a classic reference guide, The Public Domain is indispensable for anyone who deals with creative works, including publishers, web developers, writers, musicians and composers, artists, librarians, photographers and filmmakers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A comprehensive and accessible key to a vast storehouse of knowledge and information. -- Peter Beren, co-author of The Writer's Legal Companion

An indispensable resource for writers, scholars, creative artists, editors, publishers and librarians. -- Emmy E. Werner, Ph.D. Research Professor, University of California, Davis

Lucidly written and amply illustrated, this book will become a landmark legal guide for the layperson. -- Emmy E. Werner, Ph.D. Research Professor, University of California, Davis

About the Author

Stephen Fishman received his law degree from the University of Southern California in 1979. After stints in government and private practice, he became a full-time legal writer in 1983. He has helped write and edit over a dozen reference books for attorneys. He is the author of Software Development: A Legal Guide, Copyright Your Software, The Copyright Handbook, Consultant & Independent Contractor Agreements, Working For Yourself: Law & Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers and Consultants, and Hiring Independent Contractors: The Employer’s Legal Guide, all published by Nolo.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Nolo; 1st edition (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873374339
• ISBN-13: 978-0873374330
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,410,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen Fishman is the author of many Nolo books, including Tax Deductions for Professionals. Other titles include Deduct It! Lower Your Small Business Taxes, Every Landlord's Tax Deduction Guide and Home Business Tax Deductions: Keep What You Earn--plus many other legal and business books. He received his law degree from the University of Southern California in 1979. After time in government and private practice, he became a full-time legal writer in 1983.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first and last word in finding free art and music, April 20, 2001

By 

Richard "Conned-sumer" (SAUSALITO, US, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Public Domain: How to Find and Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art & More (Paperback)

Highly recommended! I'm an artist and musician and I've been waiting for a book like this for years. It's like a road map that lets you figure out what stuff you can use without permission (and without having to ask a lawyer if its okay). And there is a lot of free art out there ... not just old stuff but U.S. government art, etc. It's a very sharp, well-written book with lots of interesting trivia, too.

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most useful books I have ever encountered, September 29, 2002

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Public Domain: How to Find and Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art & More (Paperback)

This fat and informative book is a goldmine for anyone interested in public domain works, whether writings, music, art, films or just about anything else. The author, Attorney Stephen Fishman, begins with an examination of copyright laws and the public domain. After that, the book begins each of the chapters on copyrightable materials with a handy checklist for use in determining public domain status, and then launches into a discussion of how to determine the public domain status of such an item. After those useful chapters, the author examines the use of copyrighted and public domain works.

This is one of the most useful books I have ever encountered. It contains most everything you need to know in determining the public domain status of a work, and it is organized in a simple, easy-to-use format (ala the ___ for Dummies books), that is sure to inform the reader, and never lose him or her. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in whether or not something is in the public domain, and thus open to free use.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great NOLO publication!, August 9, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Public Domain: How to Find and Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art & More (Paperback)

NOLO writes legal books for the rest of us. I've used other NOLO books and gave this one a shot. I found this book to be a wonderful guide to the whole subject of public domain, from where to find it to how to use it effectively. It was also a great introduction to the history of public domain and its significance in the legal landscape of intellectual property. it's a great resourse for anyone that needs creative content for free!