On January 1, 2022, books, poems, music, and films published in 1926 in the US entered the Public Domain.

Why does that matter to you or anyone else?

For one thing, it means that digital versions of those items published in 1926 or earlier can be freely shared on the Internet. Because copyright has lapsed for these and similar works, anyone can post the text online, publish a print book, or record and make an audio version available, without having to obtain rights and permissions from a copyright holder. This makes sites like Project Gutenberg and HathiTrust possible.

book cover of winnie the poohPublic Domain Highlights in Books and Film:

book cover of the sun also rises by hemingwayPublic Domain Day Virtual Party:

Thursday, January 20, 2022, 4-5:30pm

Johns Hopkins libraries invite everyone to attend the Public Domain Day celebration hosted by SPARC, the Internet Archive and many other Open leaders. The event will feature a keynote from Senator Ron Wyden, champion of the Music Modernization Act, and a host of musical acts, dancers, historians, librarians, academics, activists and more.

More details are available on the SPARC website, including a link to register for the event.