How We Chose These Libraries
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Our selection methodology prioritizes:
- License Clarity: Clear public domain, CC0, or permissive open licenses with explicit commercial reuse terms
- Content Quality: High-resolution originals, accurate metadata, and professional curation
- Accessibility: Searchable metadata, multiple format options, and bulk download capabilities
- API & Machine Readability: Programmatic access for researchers and developers
- Institutional Backing: Maintained by universities, libraries, governments, or established nonprofits
- Update Frequency: Active maintenance and regular content additions
- Preservation: Multiple mirrors, redundancy, and long-term digital preservation commitments
Quick Reuse Guide
- Always verify the license: Check the official license page for each resource before commercial use
- Cite properly: Even for public domain works, provide attribution when possible to respect creators
- Bulk download etiquette: Use provided APIs or bulk downloads rather than scraping; respect rate limits
- Check derivative work rules: Some CC licenses require attribution or share-alike terms
- Monitor license changes: Platforms can change terms; keep records of license status at download time
Tools for Working with Downloaded Content
- OCR: Tesseract, Adobe Acrobat for text extraction from scanned documents
- Data Cleaning: OpenRefine, Python pandas for dataset normalization
- Metadata Tools: ExifTool, JHOVE for file metadata extraction and validation
- Format Conversion: FFmpeg (video/audio), ImageMagick (images), Calibre (ebooks)
- Bulk Management: wget, curl, rclone for large-scale downloads
Disclaimer: This is an informational resource. While we strive for accuracy, license terms can change. Always verify license information on the official source before commercial use. This site does not provide legal advice. For commercial projects, consult with a legal professional regarding copyright and licensing.
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