The maker culture is a thriving movement amongst all types of people who want to create and design their own objects, crafts, or computer code.  This DIY community is using state-of-the-art technology such as 3D printers to design and craft their own 3D objects.  This introductory guide will give you an overview of today’s maker movement, resources for getting started, 3D printer reviews, links to actual project designs and instructions, maker publications, events, and directories, videos about 3D printing and maker culture, and an article list of resources about libraries and makerspaces.

What is the Maker Movement?

1. The Maker Movement
   This is an excellent article from Raising Geeks about the beginnings and evolution of the Maker movement.  It provides a wealth of links to articles, videos, resources, and community locations of makerspaces.  It’s a must-read for anyone looking into the maker culture.
2. Maker culture
   This Wikipedia article gives a great overview of the Maker movement and provides plenty of links to similar subcultures such as hackerspaces, DIY culture, etc.
3. Is the ‘Maker Movement’ the next Industrial Revolution?
   ZDNet writers provide a great article on the maker culture with this piece which describes the movement as a “social revolution”.
4. What Is the Maker Movement and Why Should You Care?
   The Huffington Post’s Tech blog has an exellent article discussing the maker culture, here’s just a snippet: “Craft nights are replacing book clubs. Libraries and museums are being turned into “Makerspaces,” physical locations where people can come together to make. The sale of sewing kits in Walmart stores has recently gone up 30 percent. And just last year, someone created Christmas cookies using a 3D printer.”

 



Getting Started Guides

5. Make: Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing
   Make magazine has some excellent guides to getting started with 3D printing including their special issue, The Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing which is available online.
6. 3D Printing for Beginners
   This website provides many guides for getting started.  Newbies will be taught the ins and outs of 3D modeling software, what materials to use for 3D printing, and much more.
7. How to Get Started with 3D Printing (Without Spending a Fortune)
   The folks at Lifehacker have put together this great guide to getting started with 3D printing.  They provide videos, ideas inspiration, and 3D printer reviews.
8. Introduction to 3D Printing
   This is a great guide from Instructables that will set you on your way to 3D printing bliss.  It discusses technologies, printers, materials, Online communities and services, designing and printing, and examples.

 

Check out the full post An All-in-One Guide to the Maker Culture and 3D Printing on iLibrarian.