A status label, not a license
The Public Domain Mark identifies a work believed to be free of known copyright restrictions worldwide. It does not waive rights, grant permission, or replace the research needed to support that conclusion.
Use it carefully
Creative Commons designed the mark for works no longer restricted by copyright, not for a creator who simply wants to give up rights in a new work. A rights holder seeking a public-domain dedication should review CC0 instead.
Other rights can remain
Trademark, privacy, publicity, moral, contractual, cultural heritage, and access restrictions may still affect use. Keep the institution’s item record and any rights research with your project files.
Put it into practice
Check your planned use
Select the exact license and use case to open a permanent result page.
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