[hackerspaces] Vetting new members

[Eric Gerlach]

Hi Dave,

How do you determine who becomes a new keyholder?  Simple majority vote?
Unanimous?

Thanks for your help!

Cheers,

Eric

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:33:58AM -0700, Dave Null wrote:
> The Lodge follows this same policy almost exactly. The space is open
> to anyone on 'open house' days or if there's a class going on
> (Homebrew workshop 2 weeks ago is an example). If someone needs the
> space at another time (i.e. need to hold a meeting, etc) they can
> contact a keyholder who can open the shop up for them. If someone
> hangs around long enough, demonstrates that they're 'good people', and
> has some financial stability (rent is 160/mo) they can become a key
> holder..if they want to be. There's plenty of good people that are
> regulars at the Lodge that either don't need/want 24 hour access or
> want to put the cash in monthly to pay for the space. Those folks just
> toss a few bucks in the donation box from time to time to help pay for
> the pop they drink.
> 
> PGP Key ID: 0x0517358E
> "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they
> are free" - Goethe
> --
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:26 AM, john arclight<arclight at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Our policy is as follows:
> >
> > Anyone can show up and work or hang out when a keyholder is present. They
> > can come as often as they like and we even have free cubby holes to store
> > projects in.  People who use the space in this way are encouraged to donate
> > something if they can but it's not required.
> >
> > The keyholders are the actual rent payers.  We charge $200/mo for unlimited
> > 24/7 access and have a small number of these members.  In order to become a
> > key holder, you need to:
> >
> > 1. Convince us that you can pay in a timely manner.
> > 2. Hang out with us enough times that we know you are responsible and going
> > to be a good citizen.  We did have to revoke one key in the last 2 years,
> > but this was because the person went a little nuts on us.
> >
> > Arclight
> >
> > On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:16 AM, nicolle <superherogirl at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> At Pumping Station: One, in Chicago, we don't have a formal vetting
> >> process.  One of our core principles is that anyone aged 18 or older is
> >> free to become a member of our organization.  Therefore, if someone
> >> hears about us, comes by, likes what they see, and pays the monthly
> >> membership fee, they get a key and get 24 hour access to our space.
> >> (Right now it's physical keys, although we're hoping to implement key
> >> cards soon.)
> >>
> >> We have had a physical space for about two months now, and it's working
> >> out nicely.  Of course it's a risk to allow such open access to the
> >> space, but it's a calculated one in my opinion.  Under our model, the
> >> core benefit of being a member is not just access to the space, but
> >> twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week access to the space.  There's
> >> no such thing as a member without a key.  Our space is big enough that
> >> it can accommodate the number of members who join under our open policy,
> >> and doing it any other way would violate our intent to involve as many
> >> new and interesting people in the hackerspace as possible.
> >>
> >>
> >> nicky
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> David Powell wrote:
> >> > We are a new hackerspace in Maryland, USA so we don't have a whole lot
> >> > of experience. We have discusses this issue and basically it came down
> >> > to all the existing keyholders must vote in private on weather to
> >> > allow or deny a member to right to have 24/7 access. With that said we
> >> > don't actually have a 24/7 facilility available to us yet so we have
> >> > not given out any keys. When the time comes that we do have 24/7
> >> > access the board members will have keys and the charter members will
> >> > also have keys. Currently there are 5 of us putting everything we have
> >> > into forming our hackerspace. Those 5 will be considered charter
> >> > members and will ultimately be who gets to decide who else has a key.
> >> >
> >> > Not every member needs a key. You need to be careful who you hand them
> >> > out to. If you have a member who really needs 24/7 access I'm sure
> >> > they will let you know that they tried to access the building but
> >> > nobody was there. At that time you could offer to motion for a vote on
> >> > their behalf amoungst the other keyholders.
> >> >
> >> > I would not hand out a key to a new member. We have discussed
> >> > requiring background checks before providing keys. This is easily done
> >> > in 5 minutes for free in Maryland using the courts website.
> >> >
> >> > One thing you may also want to implement is a quarterly inventory of
> >> > the keys. Mark each members key with a number and possibly with a do
> >> > not duplicate message. Then every quarter ask to physically see their
> >> > key. If they don't have it then it may be time to change the locks.
> >> >
> >> > Finally, I've toyed with the idea of not having a key at all. There
> >> > are plenty of inexpensive electronic locks. This will allow you to
> >> > keep a log of who accessed the building and when. It would also allow
> >> > you to setup a system where you can remotely allow a member to enter.
> >> > So they may not need full access but they may need to call someone and
> >> > request use of the building before entering.
> >> >
> >> > Discuss this over with your members and see what they are comfortable
> >> > with.
> >> >
> >> > On 6/17/09, Eric Gerlach <eric+hackerspaces-discuss at gerlach.ca> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Hi all,
> >> >>
> >> >> Some of you may have seen me asking this question on IRC over the last
> >> >> few days, so if you're one of those people, my apologies for the
> >> >> duplicate communication.  Feel free to respond anyways :-)
> >> >>
> >> >> I'm working with a group in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada to
> >> >> build
> >> >> a new hackerspace.  One of the debates we're having right now is about
> >> >> vetting new members.  I'm really interested in what other spaces are
> >> >> doing.
> >> >>
> >> >> Specifically, I'm interested in what a person has to do to become a
> >> >> member of your organization and get 24/7 access to the space (if you
> >> >> allow that), and what you feel the advantages and disadvantages to your
> >> >> approach are.
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks in advance for your help.
> >> >>
> >> >> Cheers,
> >> >>
> >> >> Eric
> >> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> >> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> > _______________________________________________
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> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> "A developed and decent man cannot be vain without a boundless
> >> exactingness toward himself and without despising himself at moments to the
> >> point of hatred."
> >> Notes from Underground
> >> by Fyodor Dostoevsky
> >>
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> >
> >
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> >
> >
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