Notary at Your Public Library
Books, DVDs, passes to museums, computer classes. Story times, programs for adults, copiers, scanners, eBooks and audiobooks. The list of what the Mercer County Library System provides goes on and on; it’s almost a struggle to keep up with it all. And whether you are a new member or have been coming here for 30 years, odds are there are some services you may have missed.
For example, did you know that the Mercer County Library System has notary publics on staff? That’s right – the library system offers notary public services for the benefit of the residents of Mercer County- all for free!
A Notary at Work by Max Volkhart
Since the days of the ancient Roman Republic, notary publics - sometimes called scribes, tabelliones forenses, or personae publicae - have acted as witnesses, administered oaths and affirmations and, perhaps what they are most commonly known for, validated the signatures of those signing documents. All of this was done to deter fraud and ensure that documents were properly executed, a process that is still performed to this day. For thousands of years, an impartial witness (i.e. the notary) identified the person or persons before them, recorded the proof of identity - which would consist of either attestations from personal acquaintances or some physical form of ID - took the affidavit or acknowledgement, and then signed, sealed, and stamped the document.
Today, we at the Mercer County Library System are continuing this time-honored tradition. And while I think it is a safe bet to assume that most folks who are old enough to vote have had to have something notarized at some point, I think it is an even safer bet to say that sooner or later, everyone will have to have at least one signature notarized in their lifetime. So why not have your next document notarized at the library?
It’s a simple process, but make sure to check out our guidelines and preparation checklist here before calling to make your appointment (an appointment is necessary!) There are some documents we cannot notarize (like wills and deeds for example) and valid photo identification is required, so make sure you go through the checklist for a smooth notarization process.
Notary this, notary that. After all this notary talk you’re probably thinking “Wow, this sounds awesome! I wish I could be a notary! A personae publicae of the 21st century” and “I would like to pad out my résumé with skills and certifications!” Well, as the bearer of good news, I am happy to tell you that by following a simple process, you too can become a notary. All it takes is passing the Notary Public Exam, filing an application with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), pay the corresponding filing fee, and take and subscribe an oath before the County Clerk. Most of this process can be done online via the Notary Public Online Application System (NPAFS) which can be found at DORES’ website - https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/.
And while you wait for your application to be approved, why not check out some of these books and brush up on your new notarization career:
- No Nonsense Notary Training: N.J. State Specific Notary Public Training by Alice Tulecki
- Notary Public Handbook: A Guide for New Jersey by Alfred E. Piombino
- Notary Public: Test Preparation Study Guide, Questions & Answers
Christopher
Ewing Reference
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