An exploratory study of appropriate models for an efficient and effective national research center on adult literacy in Canada used an informal survey of documents, a convenience sample of people who have some stake or experience in adult literacy and/or research administration, and information about some existing and proposed research institutions in Canada and the United States. The institutions were the Centre for the Study of Adult Literacy at Carleton University, Brock University, McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology, Literacy and Language Training Resource Centre, St. Francis Xavier University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy and the Literacy Research Center at Penn State University, Center for Applied Linguistics, and the proposed U.S. National Center for Adult Literacy. The critical factors in a model are its definition of literacy, scope of work, stakeholders and their needs, researchers' specialties, who sets the research agenda, and what work other than research will be done. Possible models include centers within universities, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and quasigovernmental bodies. Steps to creating an acceptable model are to conduct an inventory, needs assessment, and feasibility study. The study recommends 5-year funding of a provincial or federal nongovernmental organization with a director, board of trustees, and a permanent staff of two or three. An alternate recommendation is a combination center such as the Center for Applied Linguistics and a foundation. (CML)