A system for organizing, releasably retaining and protectively storing a plurality of compact discs comprising:
- a) tray means for defining a tray having a substantially flat, generally rectangular bottom wall for extending substantially horizontally 1) between left and right peripheral portions of the bottom wall, and 2) between front and rear peripheral portions of the bottom wall, with the tray also 1) having upstanding left and right side walls that join smoothly with the left and right peripheral portions of the bottom wall, respectively, and 2) having upstanding front and rear side walls that join smoothly with the front and rear peripheral portions of the bottom wall, respectively, and with the bottom wall cooperating with said upstanding side walls to define an upwardly opening tray of generally rectangular shape;
- b) disc holder means for defining a plurality of substantially identical disc holders that are stackable one atop another for extending in juxtaposed relationship to define a stack of disc holders that can be received by the tray and can be supported therein by being positioned atop the bottom wall, with each of the disc holders being relatively thin, substantially flat and generally rectangular in shape, with the peripheries of each disc holder being defined by left, right, front and rear edge surfaces, with adjacent ones of the left, right, front and rear edge surfaces of each disc holder joining to define four corner regions, with each of the disc holders defining a pair of disc receiving formations that each provides an upwardly opening recess that is configured to receive and releasably retain therein a separate compact disc, and with the disc receiving formations being configured such that, when the plurality of disc holders are stacked one atop another in juxtaposed relationship, compact discs carried by a lower of two adjacent disc holders are not contacted by portions of the upper of the two adjacent disc holders;
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- c) interengaging guide means for permitting the disc holders to be moved relative to each other while being connected to the tray so that compact discs can be positioned in and removed from the disc receiving formations defined by the disc holders, and for facilitating the orderly stacking one atop another of the disc holders within the tray, including:
- i) holes formed through the four corner regions of each of the disc holders, with corresponding ones of the holes being positioned to align when the disc holders are stacked one atop another in juxtaposed relationship, whereby four sets of aligned holes are defined when the disc holders are stacked within the tray;
- ii) guide means for defining four elongate guide formations with each being connected to the bottom wall at a separate location that positions it to extend into a separate one of the four sets of aligned holes when the disc holders are stacked one atop another in juxtaposed relationship, and when the resulting stack is positioned atop the bottom wall so as to be supported by and contained within the tray;
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- iii) two of the guide formations include hook-shaped guide members that have transversely extending upper portions that overlie portions of the bottom wall and that extend in substantially parallel relationship toward a selected one of the upstanding side walls for establishing a connection between each of the disc holders and the tray that permits the disc holders to be raised and pivoted relatively to each other and relative to the tray without defeating the connection between the disc holders and the tray so that compact discs can be selectively inserted into and withdrawn from the disc receiving formations while the disc holders remain connected to the tray.