Every January 1st, a new cohort of books, music, and films enters the US public domain — meaning their copyright expires and they become free to read, share, reprint, and adapt. In 2026, that means works first published in 1928 are now legally free.
1928 was a rich year in literary history. Here are the most notable books entering the public domain in 2026.
Under US copyright law, works published in the United States in 1928 with proper copyright notice enter the public domain on January 1, 2026 — 95 years after publication. This is due to the 1998 Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, which added 20 years to existing copyright terms.