As you know, we offer the drop-in area for free to members of the wider community. This is part of the "cafe-like" ambiance of coworking, and is also a service that we provide as it was something that we were looking for when we started the space. Even though it is provided for free, it is a privilege that we confer on drop-in members, and not something that we are obligated to provide. We feel that it is in keeping with the values of openness and inclusivity, but it is not something that we would continue to offer at the expense of the broader goals and reasons why we run Citizen Space.

That said, the drop-in offering has been a very positive and productive aspect of Citizen Space, and I expect that it will continue to be.

So, what should you do you need to about the drop-in area?

• it's free, but offered at the discretion of the key-holding coworker(s) present
• when the last keyholder leaves, everyone else needs to leave too
• keyholders are under no obligation to keep the space open or available, so when you need to leave, you shouldn't feel bad kicking out drop-in members (nicely, of course, but firmly — it's a free service after all)
• it's up to you how much you want to engage with drop-in folks, but in general we do encourage conversation and discussion; if someone keeps interrupting you when you have work to do, feel free to excuse yourself from the conversation — politely of course — remember that one of the benefits of coworking is being around other people again and folks who have worked solitary for some time will need some time to acclimate to a social environment. Nevertheless, you're under no obligation to entertain drop-ins.
• there are no hard and fast rules for communicating one's "interruptability", but I've found that headphones usually work well (though not always)... though you'd think common courtesy would dictate how to handle this situation, courtesy is rarely common, so don't worry about sticking up for your productivity.
• for folks who want to use cell phones or voice chat or otherwise make noise (we haven't had anyone playing music really or video games, but it might happen some day) you can request that they use the back room or take their conversations into the hallway.
• in general, it's a good idea to always say hello and introduce yourself to folks who you don't recognize who are coming in to the space. As we try to keep an open door policy, forced interaction is a way of keeping the place secure and friendly. We haven't had any problems so far, so making sure everyone is greeted is just a way of extending the character of the space!

In terms of what's expected of you, just give people an idea of how the drop-in situation works ('grab a seat, plug in and the wifi works like "this"') and point them to the bathroom key and the bathroom. ;)

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