Electron Club

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**The Electron Club is defined and supported by it's members. Therefore, membership is best regarded with a "you get out of it what you put into it" attitude. While the Electron Club's primary focus is on the use of computers, electronics, and technology, you certainly don't need to be a "geek" to be a member. People of all skill levels and experience are welcome. All that is required is an interest in playing with stuff, and a desire to be part of a supportive community.**

Please read the information about becoming a member, and then fill out the [[join | form]] and send it to us. You will then be added onto our announcements and members mailing lists and will receive emails confirming this.  It is a good idea to send an email introducing yourself in your first message to the members list, or just come along to the next get together and meet people face-to-face.


===== Becoming A Member =====


**What you can get out of it.**

Access to the space and the equipment in it.

The space can be booked in advance to be used for meetings, seminars, workshops, or to work on individual projects. There are different sets of guidelines for different activities. For the most part, you can do what you want here, as long as it's not illegal, you don't interfere with other's ability to use the space and you don't engage in primarily commercial activity. Because the space is particularly suited for playing with electronics, computers and other bits of technology, preference will be given to people dealing with any of these areas. Any sort of "hacking" activity is especially encouraged. A more detailed explination of how access to the space works can be found here.


**Determine the direction of the club.**

The Electron Club's agenda is determined by it's members. Don't like the way things are run ? Become a member and have your say. This is especially true now as the club is still "wet behind the ears" and open to suggestions. We want your input !


**Take part in our Open Days.**

We hold "Open Days" on a semi-regular basis where members can show off what they do to the public.


**Learn Something.**

The members of the Electron Club have a wide variety of backgrounds. Artists, IT professionals, curators, musicians, electronic hobbyists, amateur radio people, model makers are all represented. Spend a little time with folks like this, and you are bound to learn something. Chances are you'll probably discover something that you didn't know was going on.


**What you can do to help**

Give an hour or five

We rely on the diverse talents and interests of all involved to keep things running smoothly. We don't charge rent, membership fees or dues. We ask that every member gives a little something in return in proportion to what they take. No matter what your skill set or background, there is something that you can do to contribute. Everything from watering the plants, admin stuff, to sourcing equipment,maintaining the webserver needs to be done. It doesn't need to be much; a couple of hours a month goes a long way...


**Have something to share ?**

Software install days, workshops, training seminars, etc. If you know how to do something, and feel like showing others how to do it, offer up a seminar or workshop. Software install days, workshops, training seminars, all would be appreciated.


**Donate or loan some stuff:**

All the equipment in the Electron Club is donated or loaned to us. If you've got some bit of kit collecting dust in a corner somewhere, put it to good use and free up some space. If it goes click, beep, whir, uses batteries or plugs in, we can probably use it.


**Get the word out**

The more the merrier. Bring a friend. Bring two.


===== Use of the space =====

Aside from the obvious common-sense list of things and activities that are not permitted in the space, (anything illegal, racist, or dangerous) there are some other things that are best done somewhere else. We say this only with the intention that the space is used to benefit the most people as fairly as possible while keeping the activities centered around "hacking" and other technological pursuits.

The brief list of things that are not allowed:

//Commercial enterprise.//

If you want to sell something that you made in the space, it's cool. Setting up an office, small factory, or advertising campaign isn't.

//Political party campaigning.//

We do not support activities promoting any particular political party. It's just too similar to running an office. 

//Any software installed on any of the Electron Club's computers must not violate the software's license.//

The computers in the lab all have a full complement of Free Open Source Software already installed and ready to go. If there is something not installed that you would like to have access to, just ask and we'll see what we can do. If you want some non-free software installed on the Club's machines, and you want to provide us with a legal copy, great! Got a bootleg copy of Photoshop you want to install? No way. (For the most part, the software installed on the machines already is pretty much up to the task for most of what you would want to do.)

//Non-technology events need to be approved by the club ahead of time.//

All we ask is that if you want to use the space for your groups meetings, that there be some kind of significant connection with technology. This doesn't mean that you need to be building robots or programing video games (although that would be nice). Knitting is technology. So is origami. For instance, if you are part of local gardening club and you want to use the space to make a website for your group, come on down. If you want to use the space to have a meeting discussing the finer points of a particular species of South American succulents, not so much. Want to hold a workshop on making the perfect paper airplane ? Yup. Want to do a seminar on how to win at poker ? Probably not. For the most part, we want to say yes. If you're not sure if the Electron Club is the right kind of space for what you want to do, just ask.


**Safety First.**

We like Electrons, but we respect them too. If you bring in some equipment or a device that deals with high voltages, it will have to be tested to make sure that it is not going to kill or hurt anyone. The space is not set up to deal with nasty chemicals either.

Do not mess around with equipment or projects which don't belong to you. Doing so can result in damage to the equipment or a safety risk to others.

**No pets.**

While assist (guide) dogs are welcome, no other animals are permitted in the area.

**Play nice with others.**

The Electron Club is designed to be a be a space run and used by it's members. Please try to make sure that your use of the space doesn't unfairly prevent others from doing what they want to do too.


**We like kids.**

We like them better when accompanied by a responsible adult.

That's pretty much it. We hope the space can be made of good use by a wide variety of people doing lots of interesting things. If you think any of these rules are unfair, join the club and have your say. The members make up the rules, so if it's a reasonable request, it's going to be considered.


**Something we missed ?**

These are only suggestions of course. If there is something that we haven't thought of that you would like to contribute, just let us know.

For more information please email info@electronclub.org.