Notary Public Service

Notary Services are provided by appointment only, which can be scheduled for Mondays through Thursdays, at the Local History Center. Call 833-633-7323 x 272 to set up an appointment. 

Board Policy:

The Williams County Public Library provides free Notary Public services for the benefit of the residents of our community. The Library does not provide this service for automobile titles.


Administrative Procedure:

The following guidelines will be followed for the provision of this service:

  • Services provided by appointment only and should be directed to the Administrative Assistant.
  • The document to be notarized should be completely filled out, leaving no blanks other than where the customer will sign the document, before appearing before the library Notary. Library Notaries may not notarize any document with blank spaces.
  • Remember that most documents to be notarized must be signed in front of the Notary (do not sign them beforehand). All people signing the document(s) must be present.
  • Documents in any language other than English will not be notarized, unless the Notary is fluent in that language.
  • Notary service is not available for deeds, wills, living wills, living trusts, codicils, depositions, Power of Attorney or mortgage or real estate closing documents
  • Certain public documents cannot be copied and notarized. Some examples of these are: birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates.
  • The Notary must have satisfactory evidence that the person executing the document(s) is the person described in the instrument. The person who will sign the document must provide the Notary with at least one valid form of identification. The Notary may decline to notarize a document if the signer cannot provide valid identification. Acceptable forms of identification are:
    • A current passport from any country, written in a language that the Notary can read;
    • A valid driver’s license from any state of the United States;
    • A valid non-driver’s photo identification card from any state of the United States; or
    • A United States Military identification card.
  • Notaries cannot provide legal advice or assist in document preparation. The Library will not provide witnesses.
  • Notaries are required to follow Ohio Revised Code Chapter 147. Notaries will not provide service if a patron, document, or circumstance of the request for Notary service raises any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt, or uncertainty. Under these circumstances, the library Notary may, at his or her sole discretion, decline to provide Notary service. Notaries will maintain an individual journal of each notarial act performed during library work hours.

 

Approved: October 21, 2019