Memorial Hall Library

Notary service

notary infographic

The library has four notaries public who are available to notarize documents. Notary services are free of charge and available most weekdays during library open hours. Please read the following before requesting an appointment for notary services:

  1. Notary services are available during normal business hours BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Appointments can be made online below, or by calling the reference desk at 978-623-8400. Notary appointments on nights and weekends are not always guaranteed. We cannot accommodate same-day appointments.
  2. Notary service is limited to 5 stamps per appointment, one appointment per week.
  3. A valid, government-issued photo identification is required of any individual seeking signature witnessing or signature affidavits by a notary. 
    1. Massachusetts driver’s license or non-driver's identification  
    2. Driver’s license or non-driver's ID from a foreign country or another U.S. state 
    3. U.S. passport or a foreign passport with appropriate visa stamps 
    4. An Identification card issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) - also known as a resident card or “green card.” 
  4. Bring the document(s) UNSIGNED and UNDATED to your notary appointment. 
  5. All signers must be present at the time of notarizing. 
  6. If the document requires a witness(es), he/she/they must be present. Library staff will not be witnesses, and witnesses may not be solicited from library patrons. 
  7. The notary is merely stating that he/she/they has/have witnessed the document being signed. 
  8. The document must contain the appropriate notarial statement or clause, otherwise, one will be attached to the document by the notary. Staff notaries will not notarize any document with blank spaces, and are prohibited from helping you to prepare, complete, or understand legal documents. 
  9. Staff will not notarize documents that are written in a language that they do not read or understand. 
  10. Notary service is not available for real estate documents, deeds, mortgages, wills, living wills, living trusts, codicils, depositions, or documents pertaining to official Town business. These documents are best handled at law or real estate offices.
  11. Certain public documents cannot be copied and notarized as being “official/certified” documents. Examples of these are birth, marriage, and death certificates. These “certified/official” documents—with appropriate Town Seal—should be obtained from a Town Clerk’s office. 
  12. Staff notaries are not attorneys licensed to practice law, may not give any legal advice, and may not accept fees for legal advice. 
  13. Massachusetts law requires that a notary, and the person seeking notarization, be able to communicate directly with each other. 
  14. In accordance with Massachusetts notarial law, notaries will not provide service if the individual making the request, the document, or the circumstances of the request for notary service raises any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt, or uncertainty. In any of these events, the notary may, at his/her/their sole discretion, decline to provide notary service.

After you request an appointment for notary services, you will be contacted by a staff notary who will confirm your appointment. Appointments are not finalized until you have been contacted by a staff notary.

For any questions, please email notary@mhl.org or call the reference desk at 978-623-8430.

If the library’s notaries are not available, the following locations in Andover offer notary services free of charge:

Bank of America
23 Main Street
978-623-8082
(Customers are highly encouraged to call ahead.)

M&T Bank (formerly People's United Bank)
16 North Main Street
978-623-8000

TD Bank
61 Main Street
978-684-6557
(Customers are highly encouraged to call ahead.)

Attorney Peter J. Caruso, Sr.
68 Main Street
978-475-2200
pcaruso@carusoandcaruso.com
(By appointment only)

Touchstone Closing & Escrow
28 Main Street
978-475-4896
mlombard@touchstoneclosing.com
(By appointment only)

Johnson & Borenstein, LLC
12 Chestnut Court
978-475-4488​
info@jbllclaw.com
(By appointment only)

Also available, for a small fee of $1.25, is Notary service at the Town Clerk's office located at:
36 Bartlet Street
Andover, MA 01810
978-623-8230
(Note that notary services at the Town Clerk's office are only available on Wednesdays 8:30am to 4:30pm. An appointment is strongly encouraged.)