A national study investigated the self-learning patterns of adult individuals who employ a wide range of community resources and materials for independent learning projects. The models from which the hypotheses, the interview instrument, and the response analyses were taken included previous survey research about independent learning as well as learning and communication theory. Subjects were selected from the U.S. population by means of a modified probability sample. They responded to a one-hour interview based on a pretested questionnaire dealing with the respondents' patterns and purposes of continuing adult learning and their information seeking and utilization habits. A variety of demographic characteristics and sociocultural information was also obtained from each respondent. Among the major findings are the following: Four out of five American adults are involved in a learning project each year; self-initiated adult learners can be found at all social, economic, educational, and occupational levels; film, book, and magazine resources are largely associated with learning; self-initiated adult learners are highly "goal-oriented" and have very individualistic learning patterns; adult learners often feel a need to establish the pace and control the character of their learning experiences; time devoted to a learning project can range from 1 to 900 hours, the average being 156; adult independent learners prefer to study at home; and the "learning episode" is the basic unit around which a learning project is constructed. (DT)