Found out the hard way that my local library's 'free notary' service has a catch

I needed a document notarized last Tuesday for a simple home refinance thing. My bank wanted $15 per signature but a buddy said check the library. Sure enough, the main branch downtown offers free notary services. I got there at 2pm and waited 45 minutes only to find out they only do it between 10am and noon on Tuesdays. The lady at the desk was nice but told me I'd have to come back next week. I drove 20 minutes across town for nothing. Has anyone else ever run into weird hidden rules at library services?

2 comments

2 Comments

wade_perez10h ago

Wait, its only for 2 hours one day a week? Thats wild. Libraries love hiding those little rules.

tessa3687h ago

Our library actually has a decent amount of table space and outlets, so I never felt that rule was sneaky... more like they're trying to keep the study rooms fair for everyone, @wade_perez. I've seen people camp out in those rooms for hours with just a laptop and a coffee, not even using the books or resources. The 2 hour limit makes sense when you think about students who actually need a quiet space to focus. Plus, mine lets you book again after 30 minutes if nobody else is waiting, so it's not like you're locked out all day. I guess different libraries have different vibes though... some are stricter than others.