Compiled by Rebecca Ramsey, Indiana University,
Updated July, 2023
Questions about Public Domain Images: What Are They? Why We Need Them? Where to Find Them?
Why does it matter where I find images for use in my teaching or other materials?
Nearly all original works (such as images, text, audio recordings, video recordings, etc.) are protected by copyright for a length of time. Copyright provides legal protection to certain exclusive rights of the content’s creator, such as the right to share/distribute the work, make copies, and so on. These rights may be voluntarily waived by the creator, if the creator desires.
Many images found through a Google search or similar methods may not clearly provide information about their copyright status or owner, but that does not mean they do not fall under this legal protection! Penalties are possible when infringing these legal rights, so it is always best to seek out public domain or other restriction-free images. Copyright law asks that you give due diligence to understanding who owns the rights to works you share and how you are allowed to use them.
What does copyright protection mean?
“All rights reserved.” – You may not reuse the work in any way (outside of fair use or other specific exceptions) without specific permission from the creator.
What is the “Public Domain”?
The Public Domain is a collection of works to which copyright protections do not apply. Works enter the Public Domain in a number of ways:
- Once copyright expires
- If certain formalities are not met by the creator
- If the creator specifically dedicates their work to the Public Domain (by rejecting claim to any rights)
“No rights reserved.” – You may reuse the work in any way, with no permission or attribution necessary.
How can I find images I can safely use in my materials?
When searching for images that you will share widely and without any attribution necessary, make sure you are using images that fall into one of these categories:
- You own the copyright and therefore can use the image however you wish.
- Media that are in the public domain or have been dedicated to the public domain.
- Media for which the copyright holder has given you express permission for use without attribution necessary.
- Pictures/videos by friends/family are a good option, or if there are specific images on a website that are important to your education purpose then CeLT can help you request permission from the copyright holder.
What about fair use, Creative Commons, or other options?
There are a number of exceptions to “all rights reserved” copyright protection with which you might be familiar, such as fair use (in specific situations) or Creative Commons licenses (which allow creators to designate certain ways others may use their works without seeking permission). However, when preparing materials you’ll be sharing widely, it is usually best to find images without restrictions or requirements.
To learn more about creating derivative works from works under copyright protection, we recommend this excellent overview on Wikimedia Commons. If you have further questions, please contact us or the campus copyright librarian.