Converting to MP3 and retain originals

I have several thousands of songs within iTunes that I need to convert to MP3, and still need to be able to retain the originals.
Is there a way to globally select all songs, convert them to MP3, and then redirect those conversions to another disk so I do not have an MP3 for each original?
I know there will be some loss in quality during this conversion.
Thanks!

I need to convert to MP3, and still need to be able to retain the originals.
When you convert songs to a different format in iTunes, it retains the original. It is not deleted, You would have two copies of the same song in iTunes, the original plus the MP3.
Is there a way to globally select all songs, convert them to MP3, and then redirect those conversions to another disk so I do not have an MP3 for each original?
This is confusing. You want an mp3 for each original but you don't want an mp3 for each original?
Do you want the MP3 files in a different location or are you simply trying to keep the original plus an MP3? (see above)
Either way, do this;
Set iTunes prefs-> Advanced - Importing to MP3.
Select all the songs.
Menu Advanced -> Convert selections to MP3.
If you want to move the MP3 files somewhere else;
Sort by Kind, select all the MP3 files and drag them to a folder on the desktop and do what you want with them.
If you want these mp3 files removed from iTunes select them and delete.
The mp3 files you copied to the desktop folder will still be there.

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