What is a public-domain work?

A public-domain work is a creative work that has been released into the public domain and is available for everyone to use freely. This means that the original creator of the work has either deliberately given up their exclusive rights to the work or the work has had all such rights expire. In Tennessee, public-domain works are not protected by copyright law and anyone can access and use them without permission or payment of royalties. Examples of public-domain works are older writings, artwork, photographs, and music whose copyright protection has expired or been voluntarily relinquished. As a result, public-domain works are often used in teaching, research, or to create derivative works. Additionally, because the work is no longer protected, it can be modified, adapted, or changed without any legal repercussions.

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What is a public-domain work?

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