When the compact disc was released to consumers in the early 1980 's , many people felt the new format could last forever . The Library of Congress stores historic audio and video recordings in secure vaults . Many cultural artifacts are decaying and cannot be transferred from analog to digital . With more than 5 million items , it 's an impressive collection . Artifacts include Martin Luther King memorial statue , original 35 mm film of ` ` Star Wars ''
The Library of Congress stores historic audio and video recordings in secure vaults . Many cultural artifacts are decaying and cannot be transferred from analog to digital . With more than 5 million items , it 's an impressive collection . Artifacts include Martin Luther King memorial statue , original 35 mm film of ` ` Star Wars ''