It’s not often you get to go ‘shopping’ at a library – other than during a used book sale – but local students will have an opportunity to do just that on Saturday, April 11.

Escalon is the last library in the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library System that will be putting on a Prom Clothing Giveaway, being offered this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The library is at 1540 Second St., and there will be a wide assortment of shirts, dresses, ties, pants, shoes, belts, jewelry and more offered at the giveaway.

All are welcome to attend and shop for needed items for the upcoming prom season. There is no cost for the clothing or accessories.

“It’s mostly new items, many still with the tags,” Escalon Librarian Kari Leos explained. “We have items for girls and guys, there will also be some gently used items and we will have two pop up sitting rooms for people to use to try things on.”

There will be mirrors for viewing the clothing and the items will be placed on racks by size to allow for easy browsing.

“All this will be set up in the library community room and there will be plenty of folks here to help them,” Leos said of volunteers on hand to assist student shoppers. “They can leave with a whole outfit or just some items.”

Also part of the program, there will be areas where people will help demonstrate different hairdo’s and can even assist with teaching how to tie the formal ties.

Several library branches throughout the county have hosted the prom giveaways so far, including Ripon on March 2, Lathrop on March 7, the Troke branch on March 10, Weston Ranch on March 14 and the Mountain House branch on March 21. Also, the Tracy branch event was on March 24 and the Chavez Central library prom giveaway was on March 28.

Leos said items that have been donated throughout the drive and not selected previously will be available at the Escalon event, with plenty of formal wear on display and there for the taking.

“The Linden library started it last year,” Leos said of the local giveaway, with the event being offered as a way to help students afford the dresses, suits and accessories to add to the prom experience.

All are encouraged to attend the Saturday program at the library and hopefully leave with some clothing or accessories.

Also, said Leos, the local branch is currently looking for student volunteers to help with upcoming activities such as the summer reading program and more information on that opportunity is available at the library.