Cosmetology Guide

Finding Cosmetology Materials in the COD Library

This guide will help you find books, videos, articles and websites about Cosmetology topics.

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If you need additional help, come to the Library Reference Desk or Ask A Librarian.

Books

The Library has a variety of current cosmetology materials in both print and electronic format. Find books and videos using the Library Catalog.

The best way to start searching the Library catalog is to do a keyword search for words that describe your topic. Try to choose specific keywords. You may need to experiment with keywords to find ones that work for your topic. Once you find some items, you can use subject headings to find other items that cover the same topic.

Here are some example Catalog searches:
Milady
Cosmetology
Hairstyling
Beauty Shops Management

Call Number Ranges

Use these call number ranges to browse the General Collection and the Reference Collection.

GT2340 / TT950 - TT958 Beauty Culture
TT958 Beauty Operators
GT2290 - GT2310 / TT950 - TT979 Hair Styles
GT2340 / RA776 - RA778 / TP983 Cosmetics

Ebooks

Ebook Central
Contains a variety of books on the beauty and fashion industries. You'll need a library card to access this collection.

Career Materials

The following materials are available for check-out in the career and college collection in the Library:
Milady's standard cosmetology exam review, 2012
Getting it right : Milady's survival guide for cosmetology students

Videos

The Library has a selection of instructional videos on DVD and online streaming. Check out the library catalog for DVD's and the Cosmetology collection in Films on Demand.

Article Databases

The Library has a large collection of databases for locating articles. Associates Program Source Plus and Business Source Complete are great for cosmetology and beauty industry topics but you may also find good information in Academic Search Premier and in newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times. For inspiration and the latest style trends, try WGSN (new!), WWD & Vogue.

Full List:Cosmetology Databases

To locate specific magazine and journal titles, use the Journal Locator tool.
Examples (have your library card ready)
American Salon
American Spa

Websites and Images

There are several tools available for searching the Internet. Using a variety of tools is always a good rule of thumb when looking for information on the web. Google is a great resource but also try some of the other tools on the Library's Search the Web pages.

Its important to evaluate the information from websites. When reviewing information, ask the following questions:

  • How old is this material? Is there a date of publication? Is the material out-of-date?
  • Who wrote this information? Is the company or person who sponsors the website reputable?
  • Is the website trying to sell you something?
  • Is the information biased? Does it seem like the author is just giving his/her opinion? Is the author making a one-sided argument? (not offering an alternate point-of-view?)
  • Is the information backed up with facts that you can confirm using other sources?



Here's a small selection of quality websites for cosmetology professionals:

Professional Beauty Association
The PBA offers a variety of services and information resources for students.
PBA Beauty Industry Guide
A large directory of manufacturers of cosmetology and grooming products in the U.S., along with company profiles and contact information.
Cosmetology at COD
Information about the opportunities in cosmetology at COD. Current career information is also included.
OSHA Information on Safety for Hair Stylists
This site offers information on safety, health and procedures for safely managing hair salons and the protection of workers and clients.