Guilds

Guilds are self-organized groups that maintain Resources and organize Events at Noisebridge — each a self-governing "mini Noisebridge," free to operate according to its own conditions and best practices.

If you have questions about space use or items owned by a guild, see Guilds/Contact.

Hacking, it's more than just electronics

Craft hacking

Video editing

How to Join a Guild

If you use a guild's tools or space regularly, you may already be part of a guild!

What makes a guild different from just using a resource? Intention.

A guild is a group of people who've decided, explicitly, that they're responsible for keeping that resource alive for the next person.

The next step is making that explicit: showing up to help, asking what needs doing, and getting to know the people who keep things running.

Most Guilds have a regular meeting time. Make it your business to come to that meeting sometimes so you can meet people, share knowledge, and learn what the Guild needs and how you can help.

All guilds have a Discord channel (listed below). That's the fastest way to find out when people are around and what's happening.

The Guild concept is a home-grown Noisebridge cultural structure based on anarcho-syndicalism.

For philosophy, guidance, and patterns to follow, see MetaGuild.

Infrastructure Guilds

• SecWG: Maintains the access system.
• Rack: Maintains the servers infrastructure and network.
• Fundraising Guild: Works on fundraisers for NB.
• MetaGuild: Helps develop patterns for other guilds.
• Accessibility: Works on accessibility culture, streaming event support, layout. bathrooms, and planning elevator.

Currently Active Guilds

Games

• Games Guild: Encompasses multiple game groups and resources.
  • Gamebridge Classes: Runs weekly classes.
  • Noisebridge Gaming Archivists

Fabrication

• Sewing | #sewingstation on Slack, Sewing Channel on Discord
• Electronics: Maintains electronics shop and Circuit Hacking Mondays event.
• 3D Printing
• Wood Shop
• Laser Cutter

Art & Creativity

• Music Guild: Claims the music room and all its resources. Hosts a songwriting class on Sundays (time TBD).
• Rubber Ducky Guild

Tech & Learning

• AI/ML Meetup: Hosts regular discussion and MooC co-working learning.

Culture

• Philosophy: Ongoing discussion of philosophy, ethics, and ideas.
• MetaGuild: Patterns and guidance for starting and sustaining guilds.

Unknown Status

• Essential Infrastructure Guild
• Crypto
• Out of Space
• Simbridge
• Yak Shaving Guild
• VRBridge

Proposed guilds

• Art : Start improving NB art resources, classes and decorations by meeting for Artbridge.

Guild Checklist

The goal of a guild isn't just to keep the lights on — it's to Create More Masters: a growing group of people at varying levels of skill and commitment, where the more experienced are constantly training and upskilling others.

• START SOMEWHERE: A guild needs at least one person willing to show up consistently and invite others in.
• GROW THE PIPELINE: Invite people to learn, not just to show up. Look for interested people on Discord and in the space. Acknowledge every level of contribution — the person who sweeps up is as important as the person who fixes the machine.
• GIVE CREDIT GENEROUSLY: Credit is how we distribute trust. Name people who help. Celebrate skill publicly.
• TELL PEOPLE WHEN: Post current meeting times and events somewhere people can find them.
• TELL PEOPLE HOW TO FIND YOU: Discord channel, wiki page, something.
• TAKE NOTES: Written notes mean the guild's knowledge outlives any one person.
• POST PHOTOS: At least one photo of your resources in their current state. Update it when things change.
• NO SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE: If the guild would collapse when you leave, that's the next problem to solve. See MetaGuild.

MAINTENANCE

• HISTORY SECTION: Outdated info moved to History sections at bottom of pages or entirely old pages marked { { historic } } if they won't be updated or { { outdated } } if they need updating.

Group Patterns

For patterns and guidance on running a healthy guild, see MetaGuild.

Style Guide For Guild Pages

The two best examples of well-formatted guild pages so far are games and sewing. Emulate those or improve further.

Use the guild template on top

Put the { {guilds} } template on top of the page. (View source to see how this is done with double curly braces around guild).

{{guilds}}

List Maintainers and add recruiting template if it is below 2

Put a list of maintainers at the very top of the page with 0 if there are none signed up. Add the { { recruitnig } } template to include a volunteers needed infobox:

{{recruiting}}

To use in future

Wikipedia Editable Templates

Example on Wikipedia: Infobox_country

{{ManualPage}}

Past Organizational Models

• FractalWorkingGroup: The pre-existing informal group creation model.