January 1, 2024, marks a significant day in the world of literature and arts. Celebrated as Public Domain Day, this day witnesses the release of a myriad of copyrighted works into the public domain, allowing free and unrestricted access to these cultural treasures.

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The Center for the Study of the Public Domain articulates the essence of this event: “The goal of copyright is to promote creativity, and the public domain plays a central role in doing so. Copyright law gives authors important rights that encourage creativity and distribution. But it also ensures that those rights last for a ‘limited time,’ so that when they expire, works can go into the public domain, where future authors can legally build upon their inspirations…Anyone can use these works as raw material for their own creations, without fear of a lawsuit. What kinds of things will people do with public domain works?”

Global variations in copyright laws

In the United States, works published in 1928 are the latest entrants into the public domain as of 2024. This inclusion enriches the public domain with a diverse range of literary and artistic works, expanding the horizons for creators and the public alike.

However, the landscape of copyright laws varies globally. Most of Europe, except for Belarus and Spain, sees works entering the public domain 70 years after the creator’s death if published during their lifetime. Belarus follows a ‘Life + 50 years’ rule, while Spain extends it to ‘Life + 80 years’ for creators who died before 1987. For previously unpublished material, the first publisher enjoys exclusive publication rights for 25 years.

Unveiling the 2024 public domain treasures

The list of works entering the public domain in 2024 is both extensive and impressive, covering a wide array of genres and forms. Some notable entries include:

1. “The Wind Has Risen” by Tatsuo Hori
2. “Long Day’s Journey into Night” by Eugene O’Neill
3. “Monsieur Vénus” by Rachilde
4. “The Yearling” by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
5. “Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man” by Siegfried Sassoon
6. “Gypsy Ballads” by Federico Garcia Lorca
7. “The Open Conspiracy” by H. G. Wells
8. Several works by Dylan Thomas. These are available on Project Gutenberg.
9. “The House at Pooh Corner” by A.A. Milne
10. “The Circus” screenplay by Charlie Chaplin
11. “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque
12. “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” by D.H. Lawrence
13. “Orlando: A Biography” by Virginia Woolf
14. “The Well of Loneliness” by Radclyffe Hall
15. “The Mystery of the Blue Train” by Agatha Christie
16. “The Threepenny Opera” by Bertolt Brecht
17. “Millions of Cats” by Wanda Gág
18. “Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle” by Edgar Rice Burroughs
19. “Coming of Age in Samoa” by Margaret Mead
20. “The Missing Chums” (The Hardy Boys, #4) by Franklin W. Dixon
21. “Hunting for Hidden Gold” (The Hardy Boys, #5) by Franklin W. Dixon
22. “The Shore Road Mystery” (The Hardy Boys, #6) by Franklin W. Dixon
23. “The Trumpeter of Krakow” by Eric P. Kelly
24. “West-Running Brook” by Robert Frost
25. “Dark Princess” by W.E.B. Du Bois
26. “Home to Harlem” by Claude McKay
27. “Peter Pan; or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” (play’s script) by J. M. Barrie. This also available on Project Gutenberg.
28. “Decline and Fall” by Evelyn Waugh

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This influx of works into the public domain heralds a new era of creativity and cultural exploration. It opens up a world of possibilities for artists, educators, researchers, and the general public, offering fresh inspiration and material for new creations and interpretations. Public Domain Day 2024 not only celebrates the liberation of these works but also the endless potential they hold for future generations.

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