Rebecca Greenway

‘They're the Hardest Demographic to Get Here:' Prom-Inspired Event Draws Teens to the Library

The general hush at the South San Francisco library was recently met with the sound of music, hot curling irons and laughter thanks to a teen "prom" party.

Librarians, volunteers and local cosmetology students partnered to host a prom dress drive with free make-overs to attract teens to the library’s doors.

"We just wanted to do something fun and we had make-up donations so we were just trying to think of something creative and out of the box," said Katie Donner, a library assistant at South San Francisco Library said.

The event also served as a way to stay relevant to teens in the area, according to Donner.

South San Francisco Library Attracts Teens With Makeovers and Dresses for Prom

"We’ve been trying to get more teens into the library and just try and figure out things they would like," Donner said. "They’re the hardest demographic to get here."

Donner, a former student from Skyline College in San Bruno, knew about the school's cosmetology program and reached out to see if some local stylists could help.

Rather than just an added perk of the dress drive - the stylists became the main attraction for girls' attending.

Eight stylists curled, flat-ironed and pinned away, helping the girls create their dream "prom-look" at the all-day event.

Lyndsey Hemstreet, an instructor with Skyline College, said the stylists wanted to "support girls to look and feel their best."

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