Public Domain day is here! Public Domain day is here! Today, January 1, 2019, all copyrighted works from 1923 enter the public domain. In general, this means all 1923 works are now available free to use or build upon. For Penny Candi, it means a veritable banquet upon which our frugal appetites can feast.
Since this site is all about lists, please find below the top links where you can explore all the great works newly available to entertain your mind or spark your creativity this coming year. Enjoy!
1. The Center for the Study of the Public Domain
This site does a great job of explaining what the Public Domain is as well as providing a list of many of the works that become available January 1st. Great first stop to get oriented.
2. Boing Boing: Happy Public Domain Day
If you want to know the why behind Duke Law Center’s yearly public domain listing, Boing Boing explains it here. While 2019 is cause for celebration, the cheers have been twenty years in the making.
3. Goodreads The Most Popular Books Published in 1923
Goodreads lists the top 200 books published in 1923 which users have added to their site. Links to download or purchase each book are provided. The real value here are the Goodreads Reviews and Q&As. Use the wisdom of crowds to find the great among the many.
4. Wikipedia: Public Domain Day
Wikipedia not only explains the origins of Public Domain Day, but also has a page dedicated to 2019’s day in particular. What I found helpful was the degree of context around the day and why the availability changes from country to country.
Another list, but from a different perspective. Many of the same works appear in this list as in the others above, but with a few different links and some funny asides.