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The limits of a useful measure
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When a city evaluates its libraries solely by visitor numbers, a quiet branch can appear expendable. Yet this measure overlooks the intensive help a librarian might provide to a small number of residents: navigating a job application, accessing public services, or learning to read. This is not an argument against measurement. Rather, it is a reminder that indicators are selective representations of value. Once a target becomes the overriding priority, institutions may optimise the number at the expense of their purpose. A richer assessment would combine attendance figures with qualitative evidence, while acknowledging that such evidence demands interpretation rather than offering a frictionless route to certainty.
