This paper looks at older adults' use of books and the public library, synthesizes and analyzes work completed in this area, and offers recommendations for future studies. A review was performed of the U.S., Canadian, and British literature over the past 20 years on the use of library materials by older adults. The literature review is divided into four sections: (1) Reading Preferences of Older Adults; (2) The Influence of Education on Library Use; (3) User and Non-user Studies: Old Age and Library Use; and (4) Aging, Life Satisfaction, and Reading. In addition to a list of references, the following bibliographies are appended: Related Research (including brief annotations on research on the use of books and the public library by older adults); Other Relevant References (materials which may be of interest to those desiring a broader view of older adults' reading habits); and Gerontological References (books and articles dealing with the psychological and sociological, rather than the biological, aspects of aging). (THC)