"Excuse me! Ms. Mauder, why did I get an Incomplete on my assignment?"
"You did not credit all of your sources, Emile. This is particularly important if you are going to submit it for publication."
"What! I credited every journal article and book!"
"But you didn't credit your images. Did you get permission from the creator to use them?"
Copyright Law protects the creator's right of ownership in the same way that the title of your car protects your ownership of it. Both let everyone know that only you, or the creator, can make changes to it, sell it, or use it in a variety of other ways.
But what happens if the creator wants others to be able to use it?
Copyright law made it difficult to openly share the ability to use, alter, or incorporate a creation into a larger product. Some laws, such as The Teach Act allowed some educators to use materials in their courses if they met specific needs, but for an artist to use or alter the piece was not permitted.
Public Domain is any work that was never or is no longer protected by Copyright.
