"The Library that Target Built"

 Have you ever seen an ad to apply for supplies to be donated to your classroom? Or a store raffling off a classroom remodel? These seem like a great opportunity to get some extra funding and support for our classrooms and teachers. But we do not realize how damaging these "donations" can be to our school communities. 

In the chapter, "The Library that Target Built," Rachel Cloues describes her experience with Target and the Heart of America Foundation. In partnership, these companies remodeled two school libraries in San Francisco. These remodels consisted of new paint, new furniture, and most importantly, new books. While this sounds like a dream come true, for Cloues, it ended up being the exact opposite. The librarian was only allowed to select 200 books for the library. The rest were chosen by Target. Within these titles, only a handful of them were in student's home languages, and many of them did not reflect the diversity within the school community. In a school with 80% of Latino students, a handful of Spanish texts is not sufficient. 

This San Francisco school district had a strict anti-branding policy, resulting in logos not being allowed to be painted onto the walls, or included in the books. However, Target still found a way to promote their brand without these logos. NASCAR drivers and Target employees came to the school for an assembly in which the drivers would read picture books to the kids. However, there were logos all over the cars and clothes they were wearing. Although the school itself did not display logos, Target was able to advertise through the visitors they sent. This assembly inspired students to talk and write about Target for the rest of the school year. Cloues even notes a student going home and telling their mom, "The guy said they wanted you to buy stuff at Target!" (page 14) So the lack of logos did not deter Target from still selling their brand. 

When the library finally opened, it was an exciting day. Students were able to go into the library and check out the books and meet with Bullseye, Target's mascot (who sat in the new librarian's chair, while the librarian was pushed to the sidelines). At the opening, speeches were made by those leading the project and the school superintendent, but the librarian was never recognized or acknowledged. What message does this send to the community and the students? This library is for the students to enjoy, and without the librarian, they would not be able to do so. The librarian was never asked for any feedback or comments on how the project was done. There was no concern for the person who would be calling this new space "home." 

"If solid, adequate, and long-term public funding for schools is not available, it sets up the opportunity for corporations to provide for schools instead, on their own terms, and in a disturbingly patronizing way" (page 17)

This library remodeling cost $150,000. That is equal to the amount of profit Target makes in about 30 minutes. So, this amount of money is relatively nothing for Target. However, it is not about the money, but rather trying to create avid supporters of the business. When students were entering the reopened library, one of the Target employees said, "They'll be Target shoppers forever now, you watch!" (page 15). And this is true for all corporations. They are interested in adding people to their list of supporters, and less worried about creating something meaningful and helpful for the community. So while the idea of having a company sponsor your classroom seems like a great idea, for them, it is not really about giving back to the community, but about advertising.