This Public Domain Books Content Policy (“Policy”) highlights our position around public domain books (“PDB”). A PDB is one in which the copyright or other intellectual property rights have expired. Such books may be reprinted and distributed without permission from the original author.
In certain circumstances, Sounded.com permits the use of PDBs. However, where an account is created for use of our AutoAudio Services and the book or work submitted is a PDB, we may require proof the work submitted is in fact considered a PDB. This includes the title, cover art and meta data/description which you use for the PDB.
Additionally, we may refuse to list a PDB on our Book Store, in our sole discretion, including where:
(a) the PDB already exists on our Book Store and has been made available by another account holder; or
(b) the PDB is available for free in certain language options.
This list is not exhaustive.
In such circumstances, we may permit the use of a PDB where:
1. An alternative narrator is used for the PDB;
2. The book is a translation of a PDB which is not currently available on our Book Store;
3. The book will be narrated by one of our foreign language narrators;
4. The metadata and descriptions for the PDB are different to those currently available on our Book Store.
We do not consider minor changes or amendments to PDBs to be sufficient to differentiate them to the original works.
