Legal and ethical requirements apply when copying, re-using or publishing material from the Library's collections

Explore items in the National Library’s collection that enter the public domain this year, including the unpublished works of Miles Franklin and Chester Wilmot.

The National Library endorses these position statements on copyright, issued by National & State Libraries Australasia (NSLA).

Calculating the copyright term for a given work can be complicated because copyright legislation has changed over time.

See some of the creative works from our collections have come out of copyright and into the public domain this year.

The Library will supply a digital surrogate in place of the original physical item where possible within copyright and other rights obligations.

The Library requests that you inform us if you wish to publish (reproduce, print, use online, broadcast, perform, display, include in a film, transmit, project, quote) a copy of an item from our rare and unique collections.

This Discovery Video unravels the often tricky world of copyright and exceptions that cover educational and research use.

When you might not need copyright owner permission to copy and re-use material

Every year, on 1 January, creative works come out of copyright and into the public domain.

Who you need permission from

Copyright is a legal right that gives copyright owners the right to control certain activities with their works.