R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-7-9: Microfilming of records.

The town clerk or city clerk of any city or town may, with approval of the town council or city council, photograph, microphotograph, and/or microfilm all or any part of the records kept by the town clerk or city clerk or recorder of deeds in a manner and on film or paper that complies with the minimum standards of quality approved for photographic records by the National Bureau of Standards; and whenever these photographs or microphotographs or films shall be placed in conveniently accessible files and provisions made for preserving, examining, and using the same, the original records from which the photographs or microphotographs or films have been made, or any part thereof, may be put in storage anywhere in this state for safekeeping, and any photograph, microphotograph, or photocopy thereof, shall be admissible by any court of competent jurisdiction, the same as the original is now; provided, however, that the original may be ordered produced for good cause shown.