Find Your Inner Maker

I had heard about 3D printing but I was in no way prepared for how awesome it is. I am lucky enough to be a part of the Wrightwood-Ashburn Branch staff enjoying our time as host of the Mini Maker Lab. You don’t need to be a computer whiz to design a funky pair of earrings or make the perfect pop-up greeting card.

The fantastic maker team will introduce you to the software, and your imagination does the rest. The experience doesn’t have to end when the printing is over, though. There is a whole community of makers and tools to keep your journey going.

I have learned that the movement is so much more than just new technologies. The community is driven to create and share ideas with some fantastic results. In The Maker Movement Manifesto, Mark Hatch gives us an insider’s look at how maker communities are bringing new ideas and revolutionizing an industry.

Are you curious to know just what these tinkerers have created? Take a look at Makers by Bob Parks. Parks profiles 100 people and their creations. Full of photos and instructions, this volume may just inspire you to make.

If you’ve gotten your feet wet in the Maker Lab and want to learn more, a great place to start is David Lang’s Zero to Maker. Lang gives readers the resources they need to join their maker community and be a part of what is being described as the new industrial revolution.

If you’re a seasoned maker and just want to stay on the forefront of the movement, you can always check out the latest issue of Make.