Stamford Carnegie Library enters new era by allowing members to check out formal attire in new ‘Dress for Success’ program
STAMFORD, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – In a move to ease financial burdens on families, the Stamford Carnegie Library has introduced a “Dress for Success” program, offering formal attire for library members to borrow.
Library director Ann Pippin highlighted the evolving role of libraries beyond books, envisioning this program as a perfect addition. The initiative, suggested by Stamford local Tanya Villanueva, allows members to borrow formalwear in a similar process to checking out books.
“I thought about it, and libraries are becoming not about books. They offer a variety of things now, and I thought it would be the perfect program for the library,” Pippin told KTAB/KRBC.
Inspired by her daughter’s unused formal dresses, Villanueva shared the idea online, “[The dresses] are just sitting in the closet, just kinda collecting dust. So, we figured, why not do this?”
Not long after, Villanueva’s post caught the attention of Stamford Mayor James Decker, along with the library’s director Pippin. The program aims to assist those with financial limitations, providing affordable options for special events like prom and other events that call for formalwear.
Villanueva said she had firsthand understanding of the financial challenges for such occasions, “I borrowed my prom dresses just because of the fact, you know, my parents didn’t have a lot of money.” She said she wanted to emphasize the importance in preventing others from feeling left out, especially girls during this age of social media, because of financial constraints beyond their control.
The library said Stamford ISD just had its winter formal, and the Dress for Success program saw positive engagement. Although, the teens who needed dresses were left with limited options. Pippin looks forward to more participation during the upcoming prom season.
“There’s women out there that have more than one daughter, you know. To make it affordable, this was something that we thought would work just great for some of the girls here in town, or even in neighboring towns as well,” added Villanueva. “Girls want to be pretty for prom, makes them feel like a princess for a day.”
Pippin told KTAB/KRBC this program is a way to attract more visitors, with the hope of expanding to offer attire for formal events and job interviews for men in the future.
To contribute to the program, you can donate formal dresses or suits by dropping them off at the Stamford Library, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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