#publicDomainDayCountdown
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In the public domain soon, in libraries now

The Penn Libraries, where I work, has first editions of many of the works featured in my #PublicDomainDayCountdown .

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/26/i...

#books #literature #publicDomainDayCountdown
Artistic Rendering of the Library of Alexandria, based on some archaeological evidence. The scene shows a grand interior space with impressive classical Egyptian-influenced architecture. A massive column dominates the center of the composition, featuring what appears to be a Hathor capital (a column top with the face of the goddess Hathor), characteristic of ancient Egyptian temple architecture. Several figures dressed in classical robes and togas are shown engaged in scholarly activities: In the foreground left, two or three figures are seated around a table, appearing to read or discuss texts together; In the center-right, a standing figure in robes appears to be studying or reading while standing near shelving; Another figure is seated on steps or a platform in the middle distance; A figure in the lower right foreground is bent over, possibly organizing or retrieving materials from lower storage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_libraries#/media/File:Ancientlibraryalex.jpg
December 27, 2025 at 10:29 AM
gutenberg.org
I think I can

In 24 days, we can finally reuse a more familiar version of The Little Engine That Could, as retold by Watty Piper and illustrated by Lois Lenski.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/08/i...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
M. C. Jacobs portrait A vintage black and white portrait photograph of Mary C. Jacobs, showing a woman in Victorian-era dress with wire-rimmed spectacles, hair pinned up, wearing a high-collared dark dress with decorative brooch and pleated detailing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_C._Jacobs#/media/File:Mary_C._Jacobs.jpg
December 9, 2025 at 10:23 AM
gutenberg.org
Jane Addams's 1930 memoir covers her continued Hull-House work, social reform, & peace activism that earned her the 1931 Nobel Prize. "The Second Twenty Years at Hull-House" enters public domain in 20 days.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/12/a...

#publicDomainDayCountdown
Jane Addams, 1906, by George de Forest Brush (1855–1941), National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution A 1906 oil portrait of Jane Addams by George de Forest Brush, held at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. The formal painting shows Addams in profile wearing a deep red dress against a warm ochre background, capturing the social reformer and Nobel laureate at age 46. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Addams#/media/File:Jane_Addams,_1906.jpg
December 13, 2025 at 10:21 AM
thetreezz.bsky.social
So very cool! 😎 🎷🎶

#PublicDomainDayCountdown
A yellow cat standing up playing a saxophone. Background red wall with sign “Jazz Club”
December 30, 2025 at 7:16 PM
thetreezz.bsky.social
#MondayMewsings
#CatsOfBluesky
#reading #books
#PublicDomainDayCountdown
Hey book lovers! Project Gutenberg @gutenberg.org is counting down to new public domain books coming soon in 2026! They also rely on donations if you can give.
This title sounds very interesting! 😺
“The Cat Who Went to Heaven”
gutenberg.org Project Gutenberg @gutenberg.org · Dec 15
A cat called Good Fortune

The Cat Who Went to Heaven is among the early Newbery medalists that have aged the best over nearly a century

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/14/a...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
Elizabeth Coatsworth & Lynd Ward (illustrator), “The Cat Who Went to Heaven The 1930 Newbery Medal winner features distinctive artwork depicting a Japanese-inspired scene, characteristic of Ward's celebrated illustration style for this touching tale about a poor artist, his cat, and Buddha. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cat_Who_Went_to_Heaven#/media/File:The_Cat_Who_Went_to_Heaven.jpg
December 15, 2025 at 4:29 PM
gutenberg.org
January 1, 2025 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1929 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1924!
By Jennifer Jenkins and James Boyle
Directors, Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain
web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicd...
#PublicDomainDayCountdown
Public Domain Day 2025 | Duke University School of Law
Tweet January 1, 2025 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1929 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1924! By Jennifer Jenkins and James Boyle Directors, Duke Center for the Study of the Public D...
web.law.duke.edu
December 15, 2024 at 9:47 AM
gutenberg.org
Keep watching the skies

Baker, longtime observatory director, educated generations with his astronomy texts. His debut, Astronomy: An Introduction, appeared in 1930 and even included Pluto’s discovery.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/11/17/k...

#PublicDomainDayCountdown
Main Author: Baker, Robert Horace, 1883- Published: New York, D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1933. Edition: 2d ed. Subjects: Astronomy. Physical Description: xix, 522 p. front., illus., diagrs. 24 cm. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006607814
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
gutenberg.org
Kafka becomes more accessible

Soon the first English Kafka books will enter the US public domain.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/15/k...

At PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
First English translation of the book The Castle, the last novel by Franz Kafka. The dust jacket of the first English translation of Franz Kafka's "The Castle" (1930), featuring minimalist typography and design characteristic of early 20th-century book covers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Castle_(novel)#/media/File:CastleKafka.jpg
December 16, 2025 at 11:14 AM
gutenberg.org
“It takes two people to make you, and one people to die”

Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying," set in Yoknapatawpha County, enters US public soon.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/01/i...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
First-edition dust jacket cover of As I Lay Dying (1930) by the American author William Faulkner. Published in New York by Jonathan Cape and Harrison Smith. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_I_Lay_Dying#/media/File:As_I_Lay_Dying_(1930_1st_ed_jacket_cover).jpg
December 2, 2025 at 10:30 AM
gutenberg.org
Who ordered this timeline?

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/05/w...

More about it:
www.themoviedb.org/review/65ce2...

#movies #publicDomainDayCountdown
A vibrant Art Deco-style poster for "Just Imagine" featuring bold geometric design with an orange spacecraft, stylized figures, and dramatic angles. The text "50 YEARS FROM NOW!" appears at top, with the film title in large letters at bottom. https://www.themoviedb.org/review/65ce219dd8af67018790607a
December 6, 2025 at 10:15 AM
gutenberg.org
Marlene Dietrich comes to America

Marlene Dietrich enjoyed success on stage and screen in 1920s Berlin. That year she came to the United States to star in Morocco alongside Gary Cooper.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/28/m...

#movie #publicDomainDayCountdown
Poster for the 1930 film Morocco. At bottom left is the Paramount logo, 1-B, 3050, and Country of origin USA. At bottom right is This poster leased from Paramount Publix Corp. and 44732. The poster features a beautifully rendered illustration in a painterly style showing two figures in an intimate, romantic composition. A man wearing a distinctive white kepi (French Foreign Legion cap) with a dark band and military uniform leans protectively over a woman with striking red/auburn wavy hair. The woman gazes directly at the viewer with a captivating expression, her porcelain skin and delicate features highlighted. The figures are portrayed against a soft, dreamy background with flowing white fabric or drapery suggested by loose brushstrokes in cream and blue tones, creating an exotic, desert atmosphere. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Morocco1930.jpg
December 29, 2025 at 10:30 AM
gutenberg.org
A cat called Good Fortune

The Cat Who Went to Heaven is among the early Newbery medalists that have aged the best over nearly a century

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/14/a...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
Elizabeth Coatsworth & Lynd Ward (illustrator), “The Cat Who Went to Heaven The 1930 Newbery Medal winner features distinctive artwork depicting a Japanese-inspired scene, characteristic of Ward's celebrated illustration style for this touching tale about a poor artist, his cat, and Buddha. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cat_Who_Went_to_Heaven#/media/File:The_Cat_Who_Went_to_Heaven.jpg
December 15, 2025 at 9:40 AM
gutenberg.org
A controversial bestseller

Michael Gold's bestselling novel Jews Without Money depicts the plight of poor East European immigrants in New York.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/21/a...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_wi...

#books #literature #publicDomainDayCountdown
Cover of the 1930 novel Jews without Money by Michael Gold https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_without_Money#/media/File:Cover_of_the_1930_novel_Jews_without_Money_by_Michael_Gold.jpg
December 22, 2025 at 9:32 AM
gutenberg.org
Who could ask for anything more?

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/06/w...

About Girl Crazy:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_Cr...

#musicals #PublicDomainDayCountdown
Original Broadway programme from 1931. A 1931 Broadway program cover for "Girl Crazy" at the Alvin Theatre, featuring an Art Deco-style illustration of a cowgirl being bucked off a horse, with playful, stylized lettering and whimsical cartoon clouds above. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_Crazy#/media/File:Girl_Crazy_programme_ethel_merman.jpg
December 7, 2025 at 9:33 AM
gutenberg.org
“There is no detective in England equal to a spinster lady of uncertain age with plenty of time on her hands”

Miss Marple’s debut, The Murder at the Vicarage, enters the US public domain in 47 days.

by John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/11/15/t...

#PublicDomainDayCountdown
The Murder at the Vicarage First Edition Cover 1930. The image shows the 1930 first edition cover of The Murder at the Vicarage. Three men stand in a study—two clergy and a uniformed officer—while another man lies slumped over a desk, hinting at the mystery’s central crime. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Murder_at_the_Vicarage#/media/File:The_Murder_at_the_Vicarage_First_Edition_Cover_1930.jpg
November 17, 2025 at 10:25 AM
gutenberg.org
For his first trick…

"The art of the murderer… is the same as the art of the magician," is a line in John Dickson Carr's first novel It Walks by Night.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/07/f...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
A vintage mystery novel cover for "It Walks by Night" by John Dickson Carr. The striking red design features a sinister black silhouette of a hand holding a torn page, with Harper & Brothers publisher logo at bottom. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Walks_By_Night#/media/File:ItWalksByNight.jpg
December 8, 2025 at 9:46 AM
gutenberg.org
Grand days out

There's something magical about Swallows and Amazons.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/09/g...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
First edition dust jacket cover of Swallows and Amazons novel by English author Arthur Ransome, 1930. The 1930 first edition dust jacket of "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome, featuring a charming hand-drawn map showing lakes, islands, and sailing routes. The whimsical illustration includes decorative cartouches with children in boats, nautical elements, and place names rendered in a playful, storybook style that captures the adventure of children's sailing expeditions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallows_and_Amazons#/media/File:ArthurRansome_SwallowAndAmazons.jpg
December 10, 2025 at 10:33 AM
gutenberg.org
1066 and still all that

Few humor books from 1930 still get laughs from many people now, but 1066 and All That does.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/11/1...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
Later paperback edition of the book 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England, Comprising All the Parts You Can Remember, Including 103 Good Things, 5 Bad Kings and 2 Genuine Date (c. late 1960s) A late 1960s paperback cover of "1066 and All That" by W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, featuring whimsical stick-figure illustrations on a bright turquoise background. The minimalist line drawings humorously depict historical figures and scenes, perfectly capturing the book's satirical take on English history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1066_and_All_That#/media/File:1066AndAllThat.jpg
December 12, 2025 at 10:08 AM
gutenberg.org
“You must sometime fight it out or perish”

Dr. Luella Axtel's book Grow Thin on Good Food offered sensible diet-and-exercise advice ahead of its time.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/11/27/y...

#books #PublicDomainDayCountdown
Cover image of the book Grow Thin on Good Food by Luella E. Axtell, M.D. he book cover shown is a plain, deep red hardback with a textured surface. Centered near the top, the title “GROW THIN ON GOOD FOOD” is printed in bold, gold uppercase lettering. Beneath it, also in gold, is the author’s name: “LUELLA E. AXTELL, M.D.”
November 28, 2025 at 10:42 AM
gutenberg.org
Happy Public Domain Day 2026 (Jan. 1) from Duke Law School's Center for the Study of the Public Domain. To read more about the public domain

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh9f...

More information here:
web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicd...

#books #literature #publicDomainDayCountdown
Public domain day 2026 montage. A collage celebrating Public Domain Day 2026, featuring iconic 1930 works entering the public domain: "All Quiet on the Western Front," Marx Brothers' "Animal Crackers," early Mickey Mouse cartoons, "The Little Engine That Could," "As I Lay Dying," Nancy Drew mysteries, "The Cat Who Went to Heaven," "King of Jazz," "The Maltese Falcon," Betty Boop cartoons, "I Got Rhythm," "The Murder at the Vicarage," "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "Ash Wednesday," Blondie comics, and "Morocco" starring Marlene Dietrich. https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2026/
December 17, 2025 at 11:10 AM
gutenberg.org
Tintin, The Wayback Machine, and The Public Domain

by Sterling Dudley

What do a Belgian boy reporter, a forgotten 2008 webpage, and the Wayback Machine have in common?

blog.archive.org/2025/12/26/w...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
Le Petit Vingtième, number 32 from 1934. At the top, the publication information reads "SUPPLÉMENT AU 'VINGTIÈME SIÈCLE' • JEUDI 9 AOÛT 1934 — N° 32" followed by the title "le petit vingtième" in a distinctive gothic/blackletter-style typeface on an aged, cream-colored background. The cover features a single-panel cartoon showing a young boy character in shorts standing on what appears to be a map. He has his arms outstretched in an animated pose. Behind/beneath the character is a simplified map showing parts of Europe and North Africa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Petit_Vingti%C3%A8me#/media/File:Le_Petit_Vingti%C3%A8me_number_32.jpg
December 29, 2025 at 10:18 AM
gutenberg.org
A breakthrough technology breaks through to the public domain

Electrical recording arrived in 1925, replacing acoustic horns with microphones for richer, clearer sound.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/11/19/a...

#PublicDomainDayCountdown
Emile Berliner with disc record gramophone German-American engineer Emile Berliner (1851-1929) with the model of the first phonograph machine which he invented. Emile Berliner, the German-American engineer (1851–1929), is shown standing beside an early disc record gramophone of his own invention. He poses with the machine’s large metal horn and turntable, highlighting the groundbreaking device that helped transition recorded sound from cylinders to flat discs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_recording_and_reproduction#/media/File:Emile_Berliner_with_phonograph.jpg
November 20, 2025 at 9:04 AM
gutenberg.org
The cultural works becoming public domain in 2026, from Betty Boop to Nancy Drew

A new year means a new parade of classic characters and works entering the public domain.

By Rachel Treisman

www.npr.org/2025/12/26/n...

#books #comics #movies #publicDomainDayCountdown
The original version of Betty Boop. This is a black and white title card from an early Betty Boop cartoon, showing the character in her classic iconic form. The image is presented as a vintage film title card with an ornate, curved border frame typical of early 1930s animation. The word "FEATURING" appears at the top of the frame. Betty Boop is shown as a large head portrait in her fully developed human form (not her earlier dog-eared version). Her distinctive features include: An oversized round head with a very pale/white face Enormous round eyes with prominent pupils looking slightly to the side Long eyelashed A small, cupid's bow mouth with a dark circle in the center (her signature "boop-oop-a-doop" mouth) Large hoop earrings Her iconic hairstyle: short, curly black hair with distinctive spit curls on her forehead and a characteristic wavy black hair mass https://web.archive.org/web/20121022053053/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Betty-boop-opening-title.jpg
December 28, 2025 at 10:49 AM
gutenberg.org
“Harlem is today the Negro metropolis”

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/04/h...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
Cover image of the book Black Manhattan by Johnson, James Weldon, 1871-1938 The 1930 first edition cover of James Weldon Johnson's "Black Manhattan," published by Alfred A. Knopf. The minimalist design features bold black typography overlaid on an abstract red grid pattern suggesting city streets or architecture. https://archive.org/details/blackmanhattan00john_1/page/n10/mode/1up
December 5, 2025 at 10:20 AM
gutenberg.org
Writing across the Pacific

Pearl S. Buck, raised in China, wrote early novels about Chinese life during a period of U.S. exclusion and discrimination.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

everybodyslibraries.com/2025/11/21/w...

#books #publicDomainDayCountdown
Cover of East Wind: West Wind (1932 edition) is a novel by Pearl S. Buck published in 1930. The cover of the 1932 edition of East Wind: West Wind features a stylized, decorative design with an East Asian aesthetic. The background is a muted tan or parchment-like color. At the center is an illustration of a woman's face in profile, framed by flowing black hair and delicate lines, evoking traditional Chinese artistic motifs. Around the portrait are decorative borders with geometric and floral patterns in black and red. The title East Wind: West Wind appears prominently in bold lettering, with Pearl S. Buck’s name displayed below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Wind:_West_Wind#/media/File:EastWindWestWind.jpg
November 22, 2025 at 11:18 AM