Instant Documentation: Cell-Phone-Generated Records in the Archives

Cell-phone-generated voicemail messages, text messages, still images, and video footage are often viewed as ephemeral, but cell phones can also create records of enduring value. Despite the importance of cell-phone-generated materials, few archivists have addressed the problems of how to appraise, provide access to, and preserve these materials. This paper invites discussion about integrating these materials into archival collections. It uses email interviews with two archivists who are pioneering this uncharted territory to address issues of appraisal, acquisition, preservation, authenticity, and description surrounding cell-phone-generated documents.