This report describes a research study for the Ontario Ministry of Education that addresses the issues of policy, expenditure levels, and patterns of use related to textbooks, library books, and other classroom-based learning materials in Ontario schools. The research is based on a survey of public and Roman Catholic separate school boards throughout Ontario, as reported by board officials, coordinators, elementary and secondary school principals, secondary school department heads, elementary school teachers, and board trustees. Information was sought from each school board on (1) the amount of money spent per year on learning materials regularly used; (2) the decision-making process for expenditures; (3) the selection process for learning materials; (4) patterns associated with the classroom use of learning materials; (5) textbook turnover; (6) trends with respect to the significance of textbooks in the total spectrum of learning materials; (7) opinions of people at all levels regarding the effect of present learning-materials funding on the quality of education; and (8) awareness of respective roles of the local board and ministry in development of learning-materials policy. Results of the survey are set forth in 24 statistical tables throughout the report. (TE)