Social recognition and professional prospects of librarians and archivists in Spain: the structural invisibility of essential information professions

Purpose This study examines perceived social recognition, professional identity and future prospects among public librarians and archivists in Spain, analysing shared patterns and profession-specific differences across gender, age and institutional context. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was administered to 2,604 librarians in publicly funded libraries, and 555 archivists in publicly administered archives across Spain. Data were analysed using frequency distributions, means and chi-square tests; open-ended responses underwent AI-assisted thematic content analysis, validated manually. Findings Both groups score social recognition below the midpoint (librarians: 2.95/5; archivists: 2.39/5) with no significant variation by gender or age, confirming a structural deficit; archivists reflect a deeper gap. Principal barriers are: distorted public image, low visibility, and insufficient institutional consideration. Both groups prioritise communicative strategies and regulatory frameworks over collective action – demanding visibility while underutilising the mechanisms best placed to secure it. Archivists show greater resistance to sharing a professional identity with librarians. While both groups reject obsolescence narratives and affirm the indispensability of their roles despite technological change, they acknowledge that recognition has not improved in recent years. Research limitations/implications Voluntary sampling may overrepresent professionally engaged respondents. The fact that systematic archive workforce statistics are unavailable for most of Spain is an impediment for such studies. Practical implications Findings call for coordinated action at three levels. Institutions and public administrations should develop systematic strategies to raise the profile of library and archival work, given both groups identify distorted public image and low institutional consideration as primary barriers. Professional associations need strengthening, since collective action – consistently undervalued by respondents – constitutes the most effective mechanism for regulatory negotiation and sustained visibility. Archivists require profession-specific interventions, as their recognition deficit is markedly deeper. Library and information science education programmes should incorporate professional advocacy and communication competencies. At policy level, regulatory frameworks should translate professional value into appropriate job classifications and resource allocation. Social implications The structural invisibility documented here has direct consequences for democratic societies. Libraries and archives underpin citizens' rights to information, cultural heritage and administrative transparency; yet the professionals who sustain these functions are systematically underrecognised by both the public and the institutions that employ them. This misalignment weakens the political case for adequate resourcing and staffing of essential public services. Raising social awareness of the complexity and civic value of library and archival work is therefore not merely a professional concern but a matter of public interest, with implications for cultural policy, information equity and the long-term sustainability of democratic institutions. Originality/value This is the largest comparative quantitative study of librarians and archivists in Spain to date, offering the first broad-scale empirical characterisation of recognition deficits, identity perceptions and future orientations across both professions.