Do public-domain ebook files carry their own terms?
They differ by library. Project Gutenberg's licence governs use of its trademark; Standard Ebooks dedicates its own work to the public domain, releasing each whole ebook file; Wikisource releases user contributions under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL. As of 2026-09-25.
| Source | Covers | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Project Gutenberg | Library terms | Its licence also governs use of the Project Gutenberg trademark |
| Standard Ebooks | Library terms | Its own work dedicated to the public domain, so each ebook file is public domain |
| Wikisource | Basis | Hosted works must be free to use for any purpose, commercial included |
| Wikisource | Library terms | Contributions released under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL |
Inclusion rule. A source is listed when its own text states what the question asks. Order. Sources in alphabetical order.
A public-domain story can sit inside a file with its own conditions. The editing, the notes, the formatting and the name on the cover are the library's contribution, not the author's.
For an adaptation, the story itself is what matters, but a script built from one edition may carry that edition's conventions and notes with it.
Wikisource's share-alike licence covers what volunteers add; the works it hosts must already be usable for any purpose.
1In their own words
Project Gutenberg
the use of the Project Gutenberg trademark
Project Gutenberg, license page
Standard Ebooks
Standard Ebooks dedicates its own work to the public domain, thus releasing the entirety of each ebook file into the public domain.
Standard Ebooks, about page
Wikisource
can be freely viewed, used, distributed, modified, and exploited by anyone, in any form, and for any purpose (including commercial exploitation)
Wikisource, copyright policy
Unless otherwise noted, all user contributions to Wikisource are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Wikisource, copyright policy
- License explainedIts licence also governs use of the Project Gutenberg trademark
- AboutIts own work dedicated to the public domain, so each ebook file is public domain
- PolicyHosted works must be free to use for any purpose, commercial included
- PolicyContributions released under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL
Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · Wikisource · Is a Project Gutenberg text usable outside the U.S.? · What do AI tool terms say about training on uploads?
2The adaptation step in practice
Once the rights in “Do public-domain ebook files carry their own terms?” are settled, SceneMixer describes the adaptation itself like this:
A producer working in German can make a series whose cast speaks Indonesian: the interface and the working documents follow the interface language, the spoken dialogue follows the project setting.
SceneMixer, AI Short Drama in 15 Languages (2026): Interface, Scripts and the Dialogue Your Cast Actually Speaks — “Can the interface be in one language and the dialogue in another?” (read 2026-10-13)
Sheets are generated inside a project, from the cast that analysis found, because their purpose is to be reused by that project's shots.
SceneMixer, AI Character Sheet Generator — “Can I generate a sheet without a script?” (read 2026-10-13)