![Three women cut a very large birthday cake. The words Happy Birthday are in a floral arrangement on the wall behind them](https://www.flickr.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/28828487377_27fcab0be9_k.jpg?w=1024)
January 16, 2024
The Commons Turns 16!
Flickr Commons started sixteen years ago today!
“The Commons exists to show you hidden treasures in the world’s public photography archives and how your input and knowledge can help make these collections even richer. You’re invited to help describe the photographs you discover here, either by adding tags or leaving comments.”
Here’s the Flickr announcement of our initial pilot project with the Library of Congress (and here’s their blog post about the partnership).
A few other milestones got us to where we are today, including George Oates’ return and her research on where the Commons can go, culminating in The launch of the Flickr Foundation. A very sweet birthday indeed.
![Two young romanian men in persian lambswool hats hold a bottle and gaze into the camera](https://www.flickr.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/12797346013_3d35b857de_o.jpg?w=1024)
![Black and white photograph featuring a white woman blowing out candles on a birthday cake. She is surrounded by another seated woman and a man, standing behind her. On the photo is handwritten 'Nov 22-45' and 'Celebrating Marge's birthday'.](https://www.flickr.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/50888966567_5ca03edbcf_o.jpg?w=671)
![composite photograph of a woman with nine different facial expressions. She is wearing a black turtleneck](https://www.flickr.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/15252253971_27b728caf3_c.jpg?w=800)