R.I. Gen. Laws § 29-4-6: Powers and duties of trustees.

The trustees shall take possession of the library, and shall, thereafter, be the legal guardians and custodians of the library. They shall provide suitable rooms for the library, arrange for the proper care of the library, choose one or more competent persons as librarians and fix their compensation, and make all needful rules and regulations for the government of the library and the use of the books; provided, that no fee for the use of the books shall ever be exacted.