Reading professional literature may be undertaken without a large investment of time or money, yet it still provides a way to increase one's professional knowledge and maintain competencies. To be successful in one's reading, the adult education practitioner needs to consider three aspects of a professional reading program: finding the time, locating the resources, and using effective reading strategies. Three simple, yet effective, time-management techniques--scheduling, planning, and prioritizing--help the practitioner overcome one of the biggest obstacles to reading--finding the time. Practitioners may obtain reading materials through publishers, memberships in professional organizations, or from the library. The following are some shortcuts to professional reading: read book reviews and capsules; get on publishers' mailing lists; make use of abstracts; scan, skim, and skip; and follow leads. The following techniques require more time: use critical reading skills; learn with others; and apply the three-step approach--(1) know what to look for in evaluating research; (2) follow the "three times philosophy": expect to read the research article more than once; and (3) learn the language of research. (Contains 18 references.) (YLB)