Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends.
It’s the first week of January which means here in the US, the public domain was just infused with all sorts of new (old) content. Included this year are the later Sherlock Holmes publications (YES!) and Metropolis, an early film of art deco dystopia.
Millions of documents, images, and other media now live in the public domain, making them freely available to anyone. We can use those works as inspiration for creating our own, standing on the shoulders of giants, and bringing our own creative ideas into the never-ending mix.
As such, here are some things on content, creation, and the public domain that I thought were pretty awesome.
10 Cool Things Worth Sharing
Everything that enters the public domain in 2023 (and some ideas on how you might use them in schools)
Public libraries serve as a type of public domain (information that is available to everyone). One of my favorite books of 2022 was The Library Book by Susan Orlean. The book tells of the LA Public Library fire and the efforts to rebuild and expand the library. But it’s also a love letter to our public library system and how much they mean to our communities. Libraries house so much information and information that anyone can use to become a creator.
I, for one, love going to the library and soaking up the atmosphere. I heard about a certain celebration from 1971 in Troy, Michigan, on the occasion of the opening of a new library.
Isaac Asimov, Dr. Seuss, and several others sent letters congratulating children on a new library, which might be one of the coolest things I’ve ever learned about.
Her work certainly isn’t in the public domain yet, but Joni Mitchell’s full catalog is now available to stream on YouTube. A few of your students could likely use a little Joni in their lives.
Were it not for the concept of the public domain, we might not have had the honor of learning from many of history’s great thinkers. And we might miss out on much creative inspiration. And so, I give you thoughts from Seneca On the Creativity of Bees.
Part of my personal development and content creation strategy this year involves managing my time more effectively. The endless stream of notifications I receive (just like you do) are so distracting that I’m giving up on most of them. Especially email. I only check my email two times per day now, and it’s been wonderful.
Email is, of course, the worst form of communication for many reasons. Here are some thoughts from Cal Newport on The Demon Spawn that is Email and Why We Should Use it Less Often
I just finished the first of Brandon Sanderson’s “secret project” novels. If you didn’t know, these four novels formed the basis for the most successful Kickstarter campaign in history.
You may not be a fan of fantasy or of Sanderson but watching how he builds a community around his work is fascinating. Every year, he releases a “State of the Sanderson” update on the work accomplished and what’s to come. Because of updates like this, his YouTube livestreams, and his work connecting at in-person conventions and other events, Sanderson is a media mogul all on his own.
Perhaps there are things we can learn about building our school and classroom communities from this publishing juggernaut.
With the recent $1.7 trillion infrastructure bill, will we see the creation of a DARPA for K-12 education?
If you haven’t figured it out yet, ChatGPT and other AI tools aren’t going away. For further proof, Microsoft will integrate ChatGPT with Bing.
Generate transcripts from any YouTube video (ChatGPT strikes again!)
And for people who have an issue with AI tools because they feel like their work is being “stolen,” the always amazing Seth Godin has some thoughts that I agree with wholeheartedly. Someone else’s creation inspires every creator.
Or, as Austin Kleon said in Steal Like an Artist: “Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find your self.”
Thanks for reading. This newsletter is 100% reader-supported. Fridays are free, but paid subscribers get many extras, including an exclusive Tuesday edition.
You can also support me by checking out my recommendations or, if you want to support my fiction work, signing up as a Patron.
Get access to exclusive content and expert insights on technology, teaching, and leadership by subscribing to my newsletter. Stay up-to-date on the latest trends and join our community of professionals and educators worldwide.