Notary Policy
The Library has a notary on staff. It is recommended that people seeking notary services call in advance to ensure that the notary is available.
A Library notary will witness a person signing a document or signing a sworn statement on a document. The Library notary certifies that: The signer of the document appeared before the notary. The notary positively identified the signer, and the signer both acknowledged the signature as their own, and that the signature was made willingly.
Please fill out your document completely in advance – do not leave any blank spots except for
the signature and date line. We cannot notarize documents that have been signed in advance. All people who are signatories on the document must be present in order for us to notarize the document.
The following guidelines will be followed in providing this service:
- Notary service is provided free of charge by the Library. In lieu of fees, donations to the Library are welcomed.
- This service is subject to the availability of the Notary Public on staff.
- This service is provided on Library property only.
- Notary service is provided on a first come, first served basis.
- Documents in any language other than English will not be notarized.
- People seeking notary service must present valid photo identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, or current employee ID.
- The notary may, at their discretion, decline to provide notary service.
Notary service is not available for deeds, mortgages, wills, powers of attorney, living wills, living trusts, codicils, I-9 forms and depositions. Certain public documents cannot be copied and notarized (also referred to as copy certifications.) Examples of these are passports, birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates.
Notaries cannot pre-date or post-date an action, prepare a legal document or give advice on legal matters, or notarize documents in which they have a personal interest.
The Library will not provide witnesses, and witnesses may not be solicited from people using the Library. In order to serve as a witness, the witness must personally know the person whose document is being notarized and must be in possession of a valid photo identification. Witnesses must be willing to stand up in court on your behalf, should that become necessary in the future.
A third party may assist a person in communication with the notary, if necessary. In this case, the notary will require valid photo identification from the third party.
Notaries will not provide service if the person, document or circumstances of the request for notary service raise any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt or uncertainty for the Library. In this event, the Library notary may, at his or her sole discretion, decline to provide notary service.
Approved by the Board of Trustees March 14, 2022
