What is the public domain?

The public domain refers to items that are not protected by copyright laws. This includes works that are not subject to protections due to being in the public domain (such as works created before existing copyright laws, works whose copyright has expired, or works whose copyright has been forfeited). In North Dakota, this includes works in the following categories: • Works created before 1978 • Works published before 1989 without a copyright notice • Works whose copyright was not renewed • Works for which the copyright was transferred to the public domain • Works whose copyright was forfeited due to unauthorized reproduction or failure to follow copyright regulations Additionally, many works and images by the U.S. Federal Government, including those produced by the Postal Service, are in the public domain and not subject to copyright protection. As public domain works are not protected by copyright law, these works are free for anyone to use, adapt, and share without the need for permission from the original creator or copyright holder. Keep in mind that while the works may not be protected by copyright, it is still important to credit the original creator when using and/or adapting a public domain work.

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