During the 1980s, the United States experienced a resurgence of interest in adult literacy that is likely to continue through the 1990s. The factors that have led to renewed concern about adult literacy include the following: a changing workplace requiring increased literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills; a recognition that new entrants to the work force are likely to be those who have not been served well by the educational system and therefore may lack the skills required by an increasingly complex work force; a concern for the nation's economic future and its ability to compete in a changing world market; and a dramatic increase in the number of immigrants and other adults for whom English is a second language. Some of the current issues in the field of adult literacy education include the following: (1) the definition of adult literacy; (2) the wide range of adult literacy providers; (3) the goals of literacy; (4) access and equity in the provision of adult literacy; and (5) instructional methods. (This literature summary contains an annotated list of 17 print resources and 10 resource organizations.) (KC)