Impact of public domain resources on public libraries in the United States

Ownership and rights issues relating to electronic resources can be a source of angst, confusion and litigation. This is due in part to the automatic copyright many individuals receive, including in the United States, upon creation of an original work. However, there are options available for relaxing these rights. One of these options is Creative Commons Zero. Essentially, Creative Commons Zero permits originators of materials of varying sorts to opt to put their creations into the public domain – waiving all copyright and intellectual rights. The ability for originators of works to place these items into the public domain affects not just that individual, but also all others who might make use of the resources or be affected by others who make use of the resources. One area likely to be both directly and indirectly impacted is libraries. After all, a public library is accessible by the public and contains a collection of materials or records kept for reference or borrowing and is generally funded from public sources. In the United States there are approximately 9225 public libraries (administrative entities) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (US Census Bureau, 2009). Based on the above, this document researches the awareness, complexity and effects of Creative Commons Zero and related licenses on libraries as perceived by library directors and managers across the United States. In order to accomplish this, a quantitative survey was administered in an anonymous web-based format.