This narrative description summarizes the planning and implementation of a periodical use survey conducted during fall 1985 and spring 1986 to determine who uses the Fitchburg State College Library periodical holdings and which periodicals are used. Relevant literature is discussed, the purpose of the survey is explained, and survey procedures are described. Use survey activities included reviewing course syllabi for references to periodicals, surveying faculty members concerning their use of and feelings toward library services and materials, determining what indexes and abstracts were used, surveying students, and reviewing interlibrary loan requests for the past three years. It was concluded that, although time-consuming, the project was worthwhile in identifying areas where students need help in using periodicals, areas where students feel frustrated, and periodical titles to review for adding or dropping. A 21-item bibliography is provided, and appendices include the following information: (1) the Periodicals Department collection policy; (2) a cover letter to faculty concerning the periodical use survey; (3) periodical use survey procedures; (4) a tally sheet for tracking use of indexes and abstracts; (5) a card for use with the journal title tally sheet; (6) a sign posted during the survey; (7) the faculty survey form; and (8) the student survey form. (KM)