The Alicante Provincial Historical Archive is currently operating under strain. Officials report injuries and a widening staffing shortfall, yet some leaders insist the institution remains open and functioning, even as they acknowledge ongoing efforts to resolve the disruptions quickly. The remarks from the Ministry of Culture, through the General Directorate of Culture and Heritage, emphasize reassurance while outlining real challenges in personnel and management. The situation was highlighted as the new head of the center navigates a period of transition and reduced staffing, with two key dismissals affecting technical staff and a separate exit by a director within the past year. The center’s leadership notes that only a slim number of workers are left on site, including a janitor, two assistants, and a manager, which complicates day-to-day operations.
Amoraga, representing the Generalitat Culture, which oversees the center, has indicated that the institution will fill the most urgent vacancies as soon as possible, with a plan to close the two most pressing gaps before summer if necessary. The first leave by a temporary technician who supervised the research room was officially announced on May 9, and the director’s illness-related absence began on May 16. Amoraga described the timetable for filling these vacancies as favorable, with the director’s position anticipated to be covered by mid-June, thanks to the fastest hiring timelines available for such roles. The response also included a proposal to appoint a temporary substitute management position to provide leadership in the director’s extended absence. The response team described the appointment as extraordinary and essential given the circumstances.
The center has experienced a decline in capacity since November 2021, compounded by the restoration laboratory becoming inactive. Amoraga explained that one key obstacle is the current shortage of restorers available in the job market, a constraint that could slow recovery until public job offers managed by the Generalitat are resolved. Once those vacancies are filled, new hires will come from a pool of individuals who have not yet secured positions, a development that could spark a meaningful change for the archive. However, no specific deadlines were given, as decisions depend on the Public Service framework and allocations beyond the center’s control.
Addressing the “structural problem” facing the Alicante Provincial Historical Archive, Amoraga pointed out that the center was established with six positions plus one management post. He noted that the Generalitat’s substitution rate and the level of underfunding have constrained expansion, limiting new hires to three priority areas: Health, Education, and Addiction. The overall staffing picture remains tight, which underscores the need for additional capacity and a broader staffing strategy that can accommodate archival work, research support, and public access.
“More positions are needed, and that is what we are asking for,” Amoraga stated. He acknowledged the staff shortages across the Alicante Archive and other services, but emphasized that current gaps must be created only in the identified priority areas. Existing external recruitment arrangements, which in the past relied on security contracts to fill chamber assistant roles, were discussed in the context of legal and procedural constraints and the timelines for replacement.
Amoraga also noted that, due to the shortage of technical personnel right now, researchers can still access documents by appointment. In cases requiring technical advice or expert guidance, appointments will be scheduled after June 15 to ensure proper assistance is provided. The workers currently serving at the archive have stepped up to maintain service levels, and their efforts are gratefully acknowledged as the institution adapts to the evolving staffing landscape. The center’s leadership remains hopeful that new hires will strengthen the archive’s capacity and help restore a fuller, more robust service for researchers and the public alike.