Notary Public Services by appointment

Policy

The Valley Cottage Library offers notary public services for the benefit of the community. This service will be available when our NYS commissioned staff member(s) is on duty. Therefore, availability of notary services is dependent on their schedule.

The following guidelines will be followed in the provision of Notary Service:

Notary Service is available by appointment only.
Only English language documents may be notarized. The person seeking to utilize notary public services must be able to communicate with the notary. Translators are not permitted.
Any patron utilizing the Library’s notary services must appear in-person and present a valid New York State Driver’s license or other government-issued photo identification. The complete document must be present at the time of notarization and signed in the presence of the notary.
The library’s notary service is NOT available for deeds and other real estate documents (i.e. Mortgages or Satisfaction of Mortgages), I-9 forms, wills, living wills, trusts, codicils, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, powers of attorney or depositions.
Library notaries cannot certify copies of vital records (birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses), passports, social security cards, or other documents.
The library will not provide witnesses, and witnesses may not be solicited from staff members or patrons 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 New York State driver’s license or other government-issued photo identification.
Library notaries cannot pre-date or post-date a notarization.
Library notaries cannot notarize any documents electronically.
Library notary publics are not attorneys licensed to practice law and do not provide legal advice.
Notaries will not provide service if the customer, document or circumstances of the request for notary service raise any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt or uncertainty for the notary. In this event, the notary may, at their sole discretion, decline to provide notary service.
The Library reserves the right to refuse notary services at its discretion.

Approved June 15, 2011

Revised November 15, 2023