LibGuides: Public Domain Media & Content: Public Domain Audio

Public Domain Audio Collections

The following digital libraries, archives, and repositories provide access to public domain audio content, such as: music, sounds, and the spoken word.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)
Includes digitized primary sources from libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions throughout the U.S. Some of the digitized items reside in the public domain. Check the Rights Information on each item record to confirm copyright status. Public domain works can be found by filtering your searches on "Unlimited Re-Use".
Internet Archive (Rights-Free)
The Internet Archive provides free access to millions of digitized books, images (photos, illustrations, cover art, maps, etc.), texts, audio recordings, videos, and software programs from around the world. Check the Rights field on each item record to identify public domain and Creative Commons-licensed works.
Library of Congress: Digital Collections
The digital collections comprise millions of items including books, newspapers, manuscripts, prints and photos, maps, musical scores, films, sound recordings and more. Many items are in the public domain. Check the Rights statement on each collection page and catalog item record.
Library of Congress: Free to Use and Reuse Sets
This portal provides access to a subset of LOC digital collections that are in the public domain, have no known copyright, or have been cleared by the copyright holder for public use. This includes books, newspapers, manuscripts, prints and photos, maps, musical scores, films, sound recordings and more.
National Library of Medicine: Digital Collections
NLM digital collections include public domain images, video, audio, maps, and text.
Pixabay
Pixabay is a community of creatives who share copyright free images, videos, and audio files. All content is released under Creative Commons CC0 (public domain), which makes them free to use and modify even for commercial purposes. Attribution is not required.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud provides access to music, sounds, and spoken word content. It includes copyrighted (stream only), Creative Commons, and public domain content. Add "Creative Commons" or CC0 to your search terms to identify Creative Commons-licenseCreative Commons-licensed and public domain audio files you can download.
Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons is a media file repository of free images (photos, illustrations, maps, etc.), videos, sounds and other multimedia files. Content includes Creative Commons licensed, GNU Free Documentation licensed, or public domain content. Check the Licensing field on each item.

Digital Scholarship Librarian

Colleen Robledo Greene

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Public Domain Media & Content: Public Domain Audio

Public Domain Audio Collections

Digital Scholarship Librarian

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