| | [[Fair use]] is not needed when copying material that is in the public domain because there is no copyright holder. However, physical access to the works may be controlled by a [[museum]] that makes users promise not to make any reproductions. Texts and images published in the U.S. before January 1, 1923 are in the public domain. (Because of legislation passed in 1998, no new works will fall into the public domain until 2019, when works published in 1923 will expire. In 2020, works published in 1924 will expire, and so on. For works published after 1977, if the work was written by a single author, the copyright will not expire until 70 years after the author’s death. <ref> [http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/ Welcome to the Public Domain.] </ref>) Before the Copyright Act of 1976, copyright expired after 28 years and had to be renewed for an additional 28 year term; items published prior to 1964 that were not renewed are in the public domain.<ref> For a list of renewals see the Project Gutenberg collections at [http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=11800], which cover everything except music.</ref> Items that were published in the USA before 1989 without a copyright notice are, with a few exceptions, in the public domain. Work created by the federal government is in the public domain (but not work created by state of local governments). | | [[Fair use]] is not needed when copying material that is in the public domain because there is no copyright holder. However, physical access to the works may be controlled by a [[museum]] that makes users promise not to make any reproductions. Texts and images published in the U.S. before January 1, 1923 are in the public domain. (Because of legislation passed in 1998, no new works will fall into the public domain until 2019, when works published in 1923 will expire. In 2020, works published in 1924 will expire, and so on. For works published after 1977, if the work was written by a single author, the copyright will not expire until 70 years after the author’s death. <ref> [http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/ Welcome to the Public Domain.] </ref>) Before the Copyright Act of 1976, copyright expired after 28 years and had to be renewed for an additional 28 year term; items published prior to 1964 that were not renewed are in the public domain.<ref> For a list of renewals see the Project Gutenberg collections at [http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=11800], which cover everything except music.</ref> Items that were published in the USA before 1989 without a copyright notice are, with a few exceptions, in the public domain. Work created by the federal government is in the public domain (but not work created by state of local governments). |