The students get a unique picture of their hometown's past. The growing interest in home movies was sparked by the addition of the Zapruder film to the National Film Registry four years ago. The registry is a list of films considered aesthetically, culturally or historically important that are at least 10 years old. The Library of Congress is mandated to find these films and archive them. The Zapruder film was the first home movie put on the list.
Archivists also realize that time is running out for home movies.
Many people have copied their home movies to videotape and thrown out the originals. The problem is that videotape has a short shelf life, about 10 years, Sheldon says. Many home movies have also been stored badly, which means they have deteriorated badly. Films are deteroriating as we speak. So, like the historic preservationists, who were spurred to action by the destruction of historic landmarks in this country, the film archivists want to rescue home movies before it's too late.