Compiled from papers written by project linkers after they spent two and one-half years working with schools, this report describes the Northwest Reading Consortium, a program linking schools in Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and Oregon with research and development (R&D) resources for improving reading instruction. The function of the linking agents was to help schools identify needs for improvement and select new programs. The report describes linkers' experiences using the R&D knowledge base, and helping schools identify problem areas, select appropriate R&D programs, and plan program implementation. The appendix includes a chart depicting the basic instructional planning process, and a five-page description of how the project developed and used a knowledge base of information about R&D based reading programs. (Author/JM)