Getting Research into Policy and Practice: A Review of the Work of Bob Usherwood

Professor Bob Usherwood is a leading scholar in the field of public librarianship who spent three decades of his working life at the University of Sheffield, where he founded the Centre for the Public Library and Information in Society to pursue the mission of “Getting Research Into Policy and Practice.” His career took him from librarian and chief officer to faculty member and a personal chair and included important roles in professional organizations, such as president of The Library Association. Usherwood’s published output of books, research reports, journal articles, and other material is selectively reviewed, concentrating on publications related to his personal research and funded projects. His research interests are in three interrelated areas: library and information service management, public policy decisions and their effects on libraries, and the impact of libraries on individuals and communities. A distinctive feature is his use of different publication venues to reach diverse audiences and the promotion of qualitative methodologies to demonstrate the value and impact of libraries. Major concerns identified in his work include library values, public service, professional engagement, intellectual standards, and literary excellence, which are issues of continuing relevance for researchers, practitioners, and managers of library services today.