This collection of papers is intended to provide adult educators and administrators information that will assist in making decisions about, initiating, financing, and evaluating adult literacy programs in England. Papers in the first part of the book focus on definitions of adult literacy, examining the dimensions of the problem, the potential impact of a British Broadcasting Company television series of motivational programs on the subject, and the role of colleges in meeting community needs. In the second part, a detailed study is made of four on-going projects, one based on the Liverpool LEA, the second a college-based scheme at South Trafford College of Further Education, the third a departmental scheme based on the Department of Adult Studies at Newton-le-Willows College of Further Education, the fourth based on an Adult Education Centre in North Trafford. The third part is concerned with the need for an understanding of the sociological and psychological background of students and their implications for diagnosis, placement, and the selection of resource materials. It includes a paper on the training of tutors. In the final part focus is on what those initiating programs can gain from the experience of projects in other contexts. Two of these papers deal with the vital necessity for resources to be committed to research, and the potential power of the public libraries in consolidating the teaching which is to be done in the near future. (WL)