This handbook, which is an outgrowth of educational workshops for Portage County (Ohio) Literacy Coalition members, is intended as an introductory text for individuals desiring to become effective supporters of adult literacy efforts in local communities. The context and purpose of the handbook's development are explained in the introduction. Presented next is a decade-by-decade review of the historical context of adult literacy in the United States from 1900 to the present. The next (main) section examines the following current issues in adult literacy: the definition of what it means to be a literate adult in U.S. society, the findings of the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), the lack of sufficient funding for most adult literacy programs, challenges regarding recruitment and retention of adult literacy students, and the status of teachers and philosophy underlying instruction in adult programs. Concluding the handbook are a list of important acronyms and terms in adult literacy, a 17-item list of suggested readings, and the address of the Ohio Literacy Resource Center. Appended are a list of six national education goals by the year 2000, major provisions of the National Literacy Act of 1991, and major findings from the NALS. (MN)