P.R. Laws tit. 18, § 933
The members of the Legislature, the heads of the Executive Departments of the Commonwealth Government, the Justices of the Supreme Court and the judges of the Courts of First Instance and District Courts, and the prosecuting attorneys shall be entitled to the use of the books of the Carnegie Library, and to take them out of said library for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days; Provided, That the librarian or the person who acts in his stead is hereby authorized to permit all responsible persons to [with]draw books from the library and use them outside thereof, and to prescribe rules and regulations for the operation of the library in this respect. Those persons who fail to return the books within the period of time specified in said rules and regulations shall be punished by fine to be determined by the Department of Education with the advice of the librarian. The proceeds of such fines shall be covered into the General Fund of the Commonwealth Treasury.
In no case shall books included in the following enumeration be permitted to be taken out of the library:
(a) Incunabula.
(b) Books printed in any country from 1457 to 1600.
(c) Books printed in Spain from 1474 to 1650.
(d) Books printed in Puerto Rico from 1808 to 1840.
(e) Copies of [worn-out] editions unless there is more than one copy of the same book in the library.
(f) Neither shall any person be permitted to take any book out of the library, if such person is suffering from any contagious disease or has in his home any other person suffering from such disease.
Upon the return of books taken from the library pursuant to this section, they shall be immediately examined by [an] employee of the library so as to investigate whether or not there is any mutilation of the book; Provided, That wilful mutilation of books shall be punished by fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) or by imprisonment for a term of not less than twenty (20) days.
Books returned to the library shall be immediately disinfected by the most rapid, efficient and simple methods.
History —Nov. 22, 1917, No. 20, p. 234, § 5; May 16, 1958, No. 11, p. 13, § 1.