Resource Use Policy

HacDC makes resources available for member and community use. HacDC must ensure that these resources are used responsibly and within any applicable guidelines set down by suppliers of those resources.

Note: This policy is still subject to member review and approval

Space Use Policy

Our "space" is our key resource to be used responsibly by the membership to serve the purposes of HacDC. Our space is a technical and social collaboration space and can serve these purposes as long as everyone involved shows proper respect for each other, the organization and the space itself.

This policy is our guideline for best using the space in line with our mission.

In Brief

Respect your fellow members, work takes precedence over sociailizing, members are responsible for their guests, clean up and put things back where they belong when you're done.

Respect your fellow members

Often, these priorities should not conflict. Members are expected to accomodate other members wherever possible, following these rules when it makes common sense to do so.

Priority

The space is a limited resource. As such, its use is subject to certain limits and priorities. In brief, priority use of the space is as follows:

1. Public Events
2. Projects
3. Classes
4. Social Networking (i.e. Hanging Out)

Public Events

Members are encouraged to schedule public events. Any member may schedule a public event at least one week in advance by simply:

1. Scheduling the event on the HacDC Events Calendar
2. Making a blog post about the event
3. Posting about the event (with a link to the blog post) to the members list

Some public events are best scheduled in a larger space. The church auditorium, as it requires coordination with our church landlord, must be scheduled through a request to [email protected]. If the auditorium is unavailable in the specified time frame, public events should be limited to no more than 20 people.

Public events have first priority for use of the space. Members are encouraged to participate in public events and should avoid using the space when it would disturb an ongoing public event.

Public events may be scheduled during an open lab time, provided that such an event would not interfere with the spirit of open lab.

All members of the public are invited to attend public events. Events where activity is limited to certain invited guests are considered projects. However, given the finite resources available, participation in public projects may be limited on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Classes (Paid)

Classes where a fee is paid by members of the public generally take lower priority to public events. However, paid classes, scheduled in advance, may not be "bumped" by a member who wishes to schedule a public event, except when approved at a regular member meeting.

Projects

Members are encouraged to work on projects while they're at the space. Projects that help support the space as a whole take priority over other projects.

Members actively working on a project take precedence over any potential social gathering. Members engaged in projects and members engaged in socializing should beware of this, and adjust their activities accordingly.

Members engaged in an active project may request other members to curtail or limit any activity which interferes with their pursuit of an active project. This is why members are strongly encouraged to bring their guests during a public event.

Social Networking

Social collaboration is another important aspect to HacDC. Effective working relationships are often built or reinforced over casual social gathering. HacDC should function as a Third Space, allowing members and their guests to build interpersonal relationships outside the scope of working on an active project.

As such, members are subject to no hard limitation on the number of guests they can bring into the space, as long as they accept full responsiblity for the guests they bring.

Safety and Security

1. All members must clean up and return everything to its proper place when finished.
2. Member must remain with their guests while in the space.
3. The last member in the space is responsible for ensuring the space is locked and secured.

Donated Equipment Policy

Any donation should be used along in the following priority lines, where practical:

1. Original Purpose "Plus": The donation should be fixed up and/or somehow improved
2. Original Purpose: The donation should be used for its original purpose or repaired to do what it once did.

If it is impractical to restore a donation to full functionality, or there is no need for the donation in its fully functional state, it should be thrown to the bone yard to be:

1. Functionally cannibalized: Functional subsystems systems should be carefully removed for use in other projects. The remaining pieces should be...
2. Completely cannibalized: Every usable part should be picked clean from the tech, bagged and/or sorted.
3. SuperFund Tagged: Sent to the E-Waste collection on E-Waste Collection Day.

Tools & Equipment Use Policy

Bring your tools

• If you're a member, bring your tools and equipment!
  • Consider donating some tools to HacDC for everyone's use. Let the Minister of Finance know if you donate a tool!
  • If you want to leave a tool for general use, but retain ownership, CLEARLY LABEL it as your property, via engraving or permanent marker.
  • If you do not want people using a tool of yours, you must lock it up somewhere.
• Every tool must have a designated storage space.

Use Tools Responsibly

• SAFETY FIRST. Always use all applicable safety equipment whenever using a tool
• Tools labelled "HacDC" are for all member use at all times. Do not hog tools!
• Tool owners have first priority use over their tools at all times, even if left out for public use. Be considerate of those loaning you their tools!
• If you don't know how to use a tool, don't use it until someone shows you how.
• NEVER use a power tool unless you are specifically authorized and trained to use one.
• If you need specific authorization to use a tool, get that authorization before using it.
• If you break a tool, let the owner know
  • If you break a HacDC tool, write [email protected] with specifics on what happened.
  • If you break a privately owned tool, contact the owner.

Put Tools Away

• Return every tool and piece of equipment to its proper SAFE position when finished.
• If you get a tool or piece of equipment dirty, clean it.
• Every tool must be put away when finished.

Inventory Use Policy

Organic Consumables

Feel free to donate food or beverages to HacDC! However, if you use them (or after you've donated them), please pay the standard price for all drinks/etc that you consume. Coffee is the only exception to this rule.

Purchased Parts

Purchased parts come from the HacDC General Fund. Members agree to do "bulk buys" of parts that many projects at HacDC can use. Sometimes the components are much more cheaply purchased in batches of 100s or 1000s. The use of purchased parts requires:

• Specific active project status
• Periodic reports to the Inventory Bot of parts used
• Willingness to do project fundraising or reimburse the general fund if funding for that project is or becomes available.

Purchased parts MAY NOT be used for personal or commercial projects.

Donated Parts

Donated parts come from:

• Donors (people who give us stuff)
• Equipment (i.e. salvaged from non-working equipment in the bone yard)
• Other projects or purchased parts no longer actively carried in inventory.

These parts will be used in the following priority:

1. An active project that salvages, donates or otherwise acquires the part
2. Other active projects
3. Set aside for other projects, with a defined expiration date
4. Other non-profit or eligible organizations who require salvaged parts
5. Any other use where salvaged parts shall be immediately used and diverted from the waste stream
6. Recycled (when no useful purpose can be found)

Internet Use Policy

We are subject to the Speakeasy Terms of Service

All users of the HacDC internal network are responsible for ensuring they are in compliance with the Speakeasy TOS.