Library of Congress posting non-copyrighted images on flickr for all to view, use and enjoy. Free.

This is kinda really freaking awesome. The Library of congress is beginning to make its media public -- and not just public -- but easily accessible. They're uploading thousands of copyright free photos to flickr for all to view, search, use and enjoy. They've even made the original high resolution files of each available for download!

In their own words:

"Out of some 14 million prints, photographs and other visual materials at the Library of Congress, more than 3,000 photos from two of our most popular collections are being made available on our new Flickr page"

And not only is this generally awesome for all of us, but there is more to it. By allowing thousands of people to view these photos, they're allowing thousands people to pool their knowledge about them. What they have right now are some remarkable photos -- what they'll have after public contribution is much more. The locations will be identified -- the people will be identified -- back stories will be filled in. Each individual photo will be its own wiki. And these photos will be integrated into other uses where they previously would not have been available.

Basically, everything about this project is awesome. This is a huge step and I'm sure there will be more to follow. This is big.

I'm sitting here in my pajamas viewing hundreds of photos from the archives of the Library of Congress. Remarkable.

Read more about it here (http://www.loc.gov/blog/?p=233).

And visit the project on flickr here (http://www.flickr.com/commons).

And jump straight to the photos here (http://flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress).