Public Domain Images
"Everybody wants a piece of Lisa" by Alexandre Maros is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Public Domain Image Sources
A selection of links to image collections with no known copyright restrictions. Images may be used on websites and in other academic publications.
- Creative Commons (CC) DatabaseNote that the CC database is comprised of data from many contributors, and that CC does not verify whether the images are properly licensed or attributed. CC recommends independently verifying the licensing status and attribution information before reusing the content.
- Flickr Creative CommonsThis photo-sharing site is a favorite tool of scholars and students. You may search for images by Creative Commons attribution type.
- Google Image Advanced SearchUnder the "usage rights" limit, select one of the four conditions that apply.
- Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons offers images that are freely-usable under one of two Creative Commons licenses, or are, to the best of its contributors' knowledge, in the public domain.
- HathiTrust This link opens in a new window
Creative Commons
Creative Commons (CC) is a "non-profit that offers an alternative to full copyright" for both authors and researchers.
There are six main CC licenses based on four conditions. The six licenses and four conditions are reviewed on the Creative Commons Licenses website.
Curated Public Domain Image Collections
- Library of CongressFree to use and reuse.
- Public Domain ReviewCelebrating the public domain "in all its abundance and variety," this online journal includes essays as well as collections of images, books, audio and film.
- Life Magazine Photo ArchiveA subset of Google Images. Images are organized by decade, and searchable in Google using this syntax: xxxx source:life. For example, university of chicago source:life.