Town of Norwood library staff reported on Nov. 2025 that the library’s passport acceptance and notary services are both a community service and a modest revenue source. "Last year, we were able to bring in $20,000 for the library, from passport acceptance fees alone," said Casey Kennedy, an administrative assistant who manages passport and notary scheduling. Kennedy told trustees the passport team operates five days and four evenings per week and that notary signings have climbed from about 95 a month to roughly 110 this year, with Kennedy performing about half of those appointments.

Trustees praised the service as both a convenience for residents and a fundraiser. Clayton, a library staff member who presented broader program updates, said becoming a passport acceptance agent requires substantial training and annual recertification and noted that the U.S. State Department audits facilities every two years to verify compliance. "There’s a large training that you do to become an agent, and then you have to recertify every year," Clayton said.

Board members discussed whether the library should develop a brief "how-to" packet or lunch-and-learn to help other area libraries considering passport services. Clayton said much of the material could come directly from the State Department. Trustees also heard that the library is coordinating several community donation drives this month, including continuous food pantry collection, a women’s hat-and-glove drive through Nov. 30, and a HOSA toiletry collection for Wellesley Hospital care packages.

No formal action was taken. Trustees said they would keep outreach to other libraries under consideration and noted the passport program’s combination of public service and revenue as a strength for the library’s operations.