Sharr held dual roles as state librarian and secretary of the library board, established as the coordinating body for local and regional collections and the State Library of Western Australia; he held these positions from the time of his first arrival until retiring in 1976.
[1][2] Ali Sharr worked at other institutions and coordinating bodies, acting as a consultant to the Northern Nigerian government during 1962–1963, attended international conferences on establishing other nation's library services, and on committees formed in Australia.
[1] Sharr was the recipient of several awards, including the 1977 New Year Honours list, and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Curtin University in 1991.
An award, originally a medal, is named for Sharr, the recipients receiving recognition for excellence in works undertaken in the first few years after graduation.
[1] The works of F. A. Sharr include his recollections of public service and a book Western Australian plant names and their meanings: a glossary, published in 1978 and revised in 1996.