Public Domain Day (which is always January 1) 2023 is the date on which all copyright protection in works that enter the public domain in 2023 expires.
Public domain works are works that have been released into the public domain by the copyright holder or, as with Public Domain Day, by the law of the country in which the work was created. This means that you can use these works without worrying about copyright infringement. Entry into the public domain, however, does not relieve you of the requirement to cite your source; even when that source is in the public domain, if you fail to cite, you plagiarize … and plagiarism gets you into academic honesty troubles.
Works entering the public domain this year include the last of the Sherlock Holmes stories, “The Jazz Singer,” and “The Best Things In Life Are Free” … together with “I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!”
Always be sure to get permission from the copyright holder if you plan to use a work in a way that requires their permission.
If you have any questions about copyright law or the public domain, call us at 518-371-4599 or schedule an appointment with us here.