The Maker Movement Manifesto

The Maker Movement Manifesto Mark Hatch 3.5 / 5	Published 2014 First Sentence of the Manifesto "MAKE: Making is fundamental to what it means to be human."
Publisher's Description: YOU can create the next breakthrough innovation A revolution is under way. But it's not about tearing down the old guard. It's about building, it's about creating, it's about breathing life into groundbreaking new ideas. It's called the Maker Movement, and it's changing the world. Mark Hatch has been at the forefront of the Maker Movement since it began. A cofounder of TechShop--the first, largest, and most popular makerspace--Hatch has seen it all. Average people pay a small fee for access to advanced tools--everything from laser cutters and milling machines to 3D printers and AutoCAD software. All they have to bring is their creativity and some positive energy. Prototypes of new products that would have cost $100,000 in the past have been made in his shop for $1,000. The Maker Movement is where all the next great inventions and innovations are happening--and you can play a part in it. "The Maker Movement Manifesto" takes you deep into the movement. Hatch describes the remarkable technologies and tools now accessible to you and shares stories of how ordinary people have devised extraordinary products, giving rise to successful new business ventures. He explains how economic upheavals are paving the way for individuals to create, innovate, make a fortune--and even drive positive societal change--with nothing more than their own creativity and some hard work. It's all occurring right now, all around the world--and possibly in your own neighborhood. The creative spirit lives inside every human being. We are all makers. Whether you're a banker, lawyer, teacher, tradesman, or politician, you can play an important role in the Maker society. So fire up your imagination, read "The Maker Movement Manifesto"--and start creating!
Dear Reader, This book was okay, and Mark Hatch clearly is as enamored by the maker movement as I am. So I loved that. But while it was an interesting look at makerspaces, if you want a great introduction to the phenomenon, do yourself a favor and read Chris Anderson's Makers: The New Industrial Revolution first. Then I would suggest reading this one, because it did a really good job of getting me all raring to go at our local makerspace and with my own project ideas. But I think it helps to understand the import and the history of makerspaces before jumping in with both feet. I just think it's good to know the background and why makerspaces have the potential make such an impact on society and economics. That the title of this book included the word "manifesto" made it sound as if Hatch was encouraging something revolutionary - which he was, in a sense. The book didn't feel very revolutionary exactly, but the concepts he discusses certainly are! (Over the past year, I have co-taught a few classes on incorporating makerspaces into libraries, which I think is the perfect marriage of two great open-access models. Trust me, I know it's easy to feel intimidated by the idea of dabbling in electronics, but do yourself a favor & explore a small electronics board like Arduino. Check out some YouTube videos on what can be done - at home and cheaply! - with such an amazing product.) In any case, what I enjoyed most about this book were Hatch's "success stories" that he scattered throughout the chapters. Those always interest me, to learn what people can think up and then CREATE! It's fantastic. And I was even able to look past what felt like copious editorial mistakes (having the wrong URL when the book was published this year? really, guys?) and still enjoy the concept of the book as whole. But it was kind of difficult not to read the entire book with a grain of salt, knowing that ultimately, Hatch may have written the book as a very long advertisement for the company of which he is CEO, TechShop. Even so, though, I can't blame people for making a little bit of profit off of such a progressive idea, and I am still all for encouraging anyone who has access to visit a makerspace. The fun of experimenting with new ways to create and invent is unbounded. If you want to get yourself all fired up and inspired to invent, definitely read this book and then get thee to a makerspace! :) Yours, Arianna

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