Family and intergenerational literacy programs provide an opportunity to combine the agendas of adult basic skills improvement and literacy development in children. This overview of practice in family and intergenerational literacy programs identifies trends, issues, and concerns and offers recommendations. The first chapter presents background information including definitions and purposes for family and intergenerational programs. It describes the sponsorship of programs and the motivations that justify program development. The next chapter describes research from the fields of adult and emergent literacy, cognitive science, early childhood education, and family systems theory. Chapter 3 details programs in five sectors: adult basic education, libraries, family English literacy, preschool and elementary education, and corporate programs. The fourth chapter presents a typology for classification of family and intergenerational literacy programs based on the mode of program intervention and the target population that receives the services. Advantages and disadvantages of four program types are presented: (1) Direct Adults-Direct Children; (2) Indirect Adults-Indirect Children; (3) Direct Adults-Indirect Children; and (4) Indirect Adults-Direct Children. Examples of specific programs, critical research questions, and recommendations are provided. The document concludes with 113 references and an appendix detailing 12 programs classified according to the typology presented earlier. (SK)