Notary Services
The Albany Public Library is pleased to offer free notary services to the community in English and Spanish. Notary services are available by appointment at the Main Library during regular business hours, Tuesday through Friday, and are subject to staff availability. You can request an appointment through our Contact Form or call us at 541-917-7580. Appointments are required and must be made at least 24 hours in advance and are not available in the thirty (30) minutes prior to the time of closing. If you are 15 minutes late to an appointment without notifying the Library, that constitutes a forfeiture of the appointment slot, and you will need to reschedule.
Available Services
Library notaries are able to perform the following notarial acts:
- Taking an acknowledgement
- Verification of an oath or acknowledgement
- Witness or attesting a signature
- Certifying a copy of a document
How to Prepare
Know and understand what type of notarial act you need to be performed. Please bring the following items with you to your appointment:
- Valid government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, US military
identification card, or tribal ID card, OR a credible witness who personally knows the client, can
provide valid photo ID and is able to swear to or affirm your identity. Credible witnesses cannot
be solicited from among staff or patrons in the library. - The document(s) to be notarized. Please do not sign any of the documents prior to the
appointment.
Library staff are not permitted to counsel clients on notarial acts or help patrons locate forms to be notarized.
Limitations
Library notaries are unable to perform the following:
- Notarize Wills, Living Wills, Living Trusts, Codicils, or Powers of Attorney.
- Make or note protests
- Notarize I-9 forms
- Make or certify copies of these vital records:
- Birth certificates
- Death certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Divorce documents
- Prepare legal documents
- Act in the capacity of a credible witness
A notarial officer has the sole discretion to refuse to perform a notarial act unless refusal is based on a person’s membership in a protected class or for any reason prohibited by law. Library staff are not authorized to act as notarios públicos, a term used in Latin American countries to refer to someone who received the equivalent of a law license and is authorized to represent others before the government. Library staff are not licensed to practice law, draft legal records, or advise on legal matters, including immigration.