The Internet Archive is a nonprofit digital database of text, music, film, and even software whose stated mission is to provide “Universal Access to All Knowledge”. Within its vast catalogue are works with expired copyrights from the public domain, and collections from partners like university presses and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as works from the community. With summer upon us and local public libraries shuttered, I thought it was a good time to peruse the archive and compile a summer reading list. In no particular order, here are five great resources for artists and makers that I’ve found: 5. Encyclopedia of Basic Craft Techniques From 1973, this is a compendium of crafts in a multitude of media, with descriptions on where to begin a practice of one’s own. This book is part of the National Emergency Library, a response to the recent closure of public libraries around the world resulting from COVID-19. For a limited time, the waitlist to borrow any book hosted by the Internet Archive — including many major library systems and university presses — has been removed. 4. The Vignelli Canon “If you can design one thing, you can design everything.” This quote from the Italian Modernist designer Massimo Vignelli — the creator of the iconic New York City Subway Map — says it all. In this approachable ebook, Vignelli introduces his design principles, process, and notable work, and provides snippets of autobiography. 3. Jacobean crewel work and traditional designs The intricate vines and floral forms printed here in full color are attractive enough on their own to make this a worthwhile read. For the ambitious needleworker, the highly detailed plates and technical descriptions provide an outline for reproducing the embroideries shown, though as the book admits in the epilogue, this is not for beginners. 2. Tubbs Wood Type Specimen Catalog Bold examples of classic wood type are presented in this catalog from the 1880s, ranging from pragmatic to extravagant, commonplace to esoteric. For graphic designers, this is an interesting record of the ways in which taste in typography has changed — and remained the same — in the nearly 150 years since its publication. 1. The Art and Technology of Electronic Textiles In this lecture from the Microsoft Research collection, Maggie Orth, PhD, the founder of International Fashion Machines, Inc., gives an overview of her work in bridging technology and fashion and its underpinning design philosophy. Wearable tech has come a long way in the intervening years, but it’s fascinating to see her early experiments in the field, including conductive Velcro and her capstone work, Electric Plaid. Bonus: The Oregon Trail Deluxe, 1992 Yes, it’s true! While not a productive resource, it’s important to schedule downtime in a work-from-home environment, right? The classic grade school adventure game is hosted here along with thousands of classic arcade and computer games with in-browser emulation. There’s much more educational information presented in this title than I was interested in 20 years ago, making the experience both nostalgic and fresh. The threat of snakebites and river crossings are still very real. The list could truly go on and on. While its database search can seem prohibitively complex, the real magic of the Internet Archive is in the discovery: digging through the digital stacks, one never knows what will be uncovered. So go explore! Stay curious, and stay busy. Happy reading! - Chad Brown, Center for Creativity Assistant. Find Chad's work on Instagram.
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