To the steady beat of ‘90s pop anthems inside Tracy Public Library, Gabby Torres was on the lookout for the perfect prom dress that sparkled.
Her fingers, freshly manicured for the big night just days away, flipped through hundreds of evening gowns, some uniquely flared in different colors or accented with sequins.
But for her mom, Cheryl Drace, who joined her for the dress hunt, the rows of prom gowns — offered for free as part of the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library’s second annual prom drive — brought a sense of relief.
“That stuff obviously gets really costly,” said Drace, later holding a blush pink gown her daughter would eventually wear. “So every little bit helps out.”
Across San Joaquin County during the height of prom season this year, library branches transformed into makeshift prom shops, where teens rummaged through racks of formal wear and tables lined with donated shoes, makeup kits and accessories.
It started as an idea from another co-worker, said library assistant Cynthia Leos, who heard about a similar prom drive at Sacramento libraries last year. What started at four locations in SJ County has since expanded to eight, the final event scheduled for Saturday at the Escalon branch.
“We’re doing it just because we’re like, ‘This will probably be a big relief for a lot of kids,” said Leos, adding that the events brought library staff back to their own proms memories.
For some, like 43-year-old Erica Molina, the giveaway fills her need in a different way. With a summer wedding coming up, finding an affordable dress has been on her mind for weeks.
“(These) kind of dresses, if you go to the store, you won’t have it for cheap,” said Molina, gesturing to the bundle of floor-length gowns she was trying to choose from. “You have to pay a lot of money.”
Just a few feet away, Aarav Bakshi, 15, and shopping alongside his mom, Natasha Bakshi, said he, too, browsed for a different event. “Too young for prom,” he said, but the gray and white sport coats he had picked out would suit his regular speech and debate tournaments.
“I found outfits that I could wear,” said Bakshi, with a shrug, “So definitely they (other teenagers) could.”
