Washington, DC, is known as a pretty conservative town, so it might surprise you to know the US capital has a lively - and loud - history of punk music.

Indeed so much so, that now the DC Public Library has created a punk rock archive.

The library even had a punk show in the basement to launch the initiative, which includes collecting paraphernalia dating back to 1976.

It is an unusual combination of loud music and quiet book-stacks which musicians and historians say will help preserve an important part of the city's history.

Shot and Edited by Bill McKenna

Bands from Basement Shows: Joy Buttons, Flamers, Hemlines, Nox, Blockhead, Priests.

Special Thanks to Michele Casto, Maggie Gilmoreand Bobbie Dougherty of the DC Public Library and the filmmakers James Schneider and Paul Bishow.

Additional Music Archive: Sohrab Habibion; Photographs: Alex Schelldorf.