[hackerspaces] Vetting new members

Thu Jun 18 09:46:52 CEST 2009

Hi Eric,

Our space is called the 23b Shop. It's located in Southern California.  And
to answer your question, we are typically unanimous on new key holders.  We
have a pretty high tolerance for anyone else who comes by and wants to work,
as long as they aren't stealing our tools and computers to buy smack or
something.  But 24/7 key folks need everyone's blessing at this point.

Here is the Hackerspace URL:
http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/23b_Shop

Arclight

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 6:32 PM, Dave Null <noid23 at gmail.com> wrote:

> We've got few enough key holders that we would prefer a unanimous vote
> at this point, however one lone dissenter we could probably live with
> :)
>
> If we were ever to hit a dozen or more members I would imagine a
> majority vote would have to suffice as you can't make everyone happy
> all the time.
>
> PGP Key ID: 0x0517358E
> "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they
> are free" - Goethe
> --
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 6:20 PM, Eric
> Gerlach<eric+hackerspaces-discuss at gerlach.ca<eric%2Bhackerspaces-discuss at gerlach.ca>>
> wrote:
> > 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<eric%2Bhackerspaces-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
> >> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> >> Discuss mailing list
> >> >> >> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> >> >> >> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> >> > Discuss mailing list
> >> >> > Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> >> >> > http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >> "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
> >> >>
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> Discuss mailing list
> >> >> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> >> >> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Discuss mailing list
> >> > Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> >> > http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >> >
> >> >
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Discuss mailing list
> >> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> >> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> > _______________________________________________
> > Discuss mailing list
> > Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> > http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
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