Public domain in the UK versus the US
Why a US public-domain label does not automatically apply in the UK, and what evidence to check before downloading.
The same work can have different status
Copyright is territorial. A catalogue's public-domain assessment is normally made under the law it names, not as a worldwide permission. Project Gutenberg's source assessment is US-focused, so LibreLeaf labels its downloadable offers as source-assessed public domain in the United States rather than universally free.
The work and the digital edition also need separate attention. A nineteenth-century novel may be out of copyright while a recent translation, introduction, illustrations, typography, or critical apparatus remains protected. Match the downloadable file to the record instead of deciding from the original author's date alone.
A practical UK check
GOV.UK gives the usual term for written, dramatic, musical, and artistic works as 70 years after the author's death, while the typographical arrangement of a published edition generally lasts 25 years from publication. Those are starting rules, not a complete clearance test.
Exceptions and transitional rules matter, including anonymous works, collaborative authorship, Crown copyright, older unpublished works, and separately protected contributions. If the author, translator, or publication history is unclear, use the Intellectual Property Office's detailed duration guidance or seek legal advice before redistribution.
Why a US date is not enough
United States duration depends on when and how a work was created and published, authorship, and in some historical cases copyright formalities. The US Copyright Office publishes the statute and duration material; a single rolling-year slogan cannot safely replace that analysis for every work.
For ordinary reading, prefer a route with an explicit licence valid for your use, a UK-specific rights statement, or a library loan. For republication, commercial use, translation, or a large corpus, record the evidence for each edition and obtain appropriate rights advice.
LibreLeaf provides source and jurisdiction context, not a legal determination. Region selection changes the warning and applicability labels; it does not change the underlying law.