Expert: Shannon Moore - 7/15/2008

Question
Hello
I have a website where I've added some images taken from old "public domain" books.  Is this allowed?  My website generates income through advertisements.   
Thanks, Mary

Answer
Dear Mary,

Without knowing all of the details, it's hard to say for sure so you may want to run this by an intellectual property attorney as well.

Public domain is "a range of abstract materials – commonly referred to as intellectual property – which are not owned or controlled by anyone. The term indicates that these materials are therefore 'public property', and available for anyone to use for any purpose."

Please be sure that the books and/or images are definitely a part of the public domain.

"When the copyright expires, the work enters the public domain. Due to legislation providing extension of copyright, it is estimated that currently, of the all books found in the world's libraries, only about 15 percent are in the public domain, even though only 10 percent of all books are still in print; the remaining 75 percent are books abandoned by publishers, but which remain unavailable because they are still under copyright protection."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain

Hope that helps! Thank you!

Warmest regards,
Shannon Moore
http://www.tmexpress.com