\input tex
\input ruled

\def\section#1{
    \bigskip\smallbreak
    \lline{\bf #1}
    \nobreak}

\tablet
\twelvepointconcreteroman
\raggedright
\advance\leftskip12pt

\begintwocol

\topinsert\vskip4in\endinsert

\section{What are we doing?}

We are trying to provide ``basic services'' that so many of us use to
generate stuff -- zines, flyers, artwork, etc -- all in one place.
We've had the computer, tables, and workspace for a long time, and now
we just leased a brand-new copier.

The copier ain't free -- it costs us \$223 per month to lease, plus
toner and paper. You pay to use the copier -- rates are listed below
somewhere.

We are not doing this to make a profit. What we charge covers what the
machine costs to run. Compared to a really cheap commercial copy shop,
the prices are marginal. If you only want cheap, cheap, cheap, this
probably isn't the deal for you. (Though see below for our {\smc
Office Club} deal\dots)

The idea is this -- to provide a space and the basic tools to do text
and graphic artwork all in one place. You can draw, collage, cut,
paste, and make one or two copies, and no one will hassle you to ``get
off the machine, others are waiting'', or get mad if you spread your
work over the table.

The other stuff you can use for free, though there's a donation can
for ``expendables'' (staples, pens, pencils, etc) or you can simply
swipe some from your employer (if you're a wage slave) and replace
'em. It's pretty loose. 

\section{The copier.}

The copier is a Canon NP 2020, brand new on 29 July 91. 

{\obeylines\parskip=0pt
\blob\  Solid blacks.
\blob\  Makes excellent copies of photos. 
\blob\  Enlargements up to 200\%
\blob\  Reductions to 50\%
\blob\  Trays for letter and legal paper.
\blob\  Hand-feed 11 $\times$ 17, etc.
\blob\  Will handle card, stickers and transparencies.
\blob\  Up to 20 copies/minute (not fast).
}
\vskip\parskip

\section{The other stuff.}

{\obeylines\parskip=0pt
\blob\  Paper shear.
\blob\  ``Saddle'' stapler, for zines, etc.
\blob\  Large stapler; does 1/2" at a time.
\blob\  Regular office stuff; scissors, pens, stapler, etc.
\blob\  Some free expendables; paper, envelopes, etc.
}
\vskip\parskip

It does {\it not} do automatic double-sided copies; you have to
reinsert the stack of side \#1's back into the paper tray, but it
works OK.

\section{Why membership?}

The deal is this: you pay \$15 per month membership fee, then
4\cents{}\footnote*{We keep adjusting the price/copy as we find better
deals on toner; so far the cheapest we've found is \$80/box, good for
about 4,000 copies. If you find us a better deal, or can swipe some,
let us know!} for each copy. The cost breakdown is below. 

Each of us alone is too poor to ``own'' a copier, by ourselves.
Collectively we can do it. If you're lucky enough to have a copier
scam going, great. Lots of us don't though, and places like Krishna
charge 25\cents{} or more for single enlargements, for instance (and
we always cheat don't we). So we put up the front money, someone
signed their life away on a 3-year lease, and we rely on the monthly
memberships to pay for the lease; the per-copy costs pay for supplies.

Basically, we're hoping that the ``added features'' make this more
attractive than other places that might have cheaper per-copy costs
(but I bet no one does). For example -- you get to take your time and
not be pressured by copyshop owners. You get to use the other stuff
(staplers, shear, computer, etc). There's space to work.  We're
basically around at night instead of ``9 to 5''. You're not paying
money to a downtown death corporation. You don't get soaked for basic
stuff like staples. We even have file-cabinet space to store stuff.

\section{Cost breakdown.}

Here's the cost breakdown, that calculates the per-copy cost,
including the monthly membership fee of \$15 and the per-copy cost of
4\cents.

\vskip\parskip
\begintable

\hfill 100 copies | 1\cents \cr
\hfill 200 copies | 11.5\cents\cr
\hfill 300 copies | 9\cents\cr
\hfill 500 copies | 7\cents\cr
\hfill 1000 copies | 5.5\cents \endtable

For really large runs, we have a Business Membership in the Office
Club -- 100 copies of one original is only 2.5\cents/copy! We haven't
got the membership back yet (19 Sep 91) so we can't give you more
details yet.

We're hoping that even if you only make 100 copies a month, it's still
worth it to be able to work in a comfortable place.

\section{How membership works.}

You pay the membership fee for the month when you first use the
machine For this you get the fabled CONTROL CARD which keeps track of
the copies you make. (We haven't worked out exact details on what
happens when you start in the middle, or the end, of the month. If
you've got a large run, then we'll charge you \$15; if you're gonna do
collages and stuff, we'll make a deal. Suggestions please!)

{\it We haven't worked this out; suggestions please!}

At the end of the month, we make a printout of the number of copies
each member has made, at 4\cents{} per copy. XXXXXXXX

If you do a large run of copies (like a zine production) please bring
the money with you for the run; we don't have enough cash to front for
XXXXXXX

\section{Expendables.}

We supply plain white paper in letter and legal sizes only; for all
other sizes and colors you must bring your own. (Please use only new,
clean paper in the machine!) Sorry, no discount for bringing your own
paper; paper is a small part of the cost, it's toner and lease
payments that cost the most.

You must bring your own gluesticks, staples, tape, etc. There may be
stuff on the free-shelf, but we make no promises. (And please help
stock the free shelf with whatever you can.)

\section{Office supplies.}

We also have a small paper shear, a heavy-duty stapler, a regular
stapler, and a homemade ``saddle'' stapler, a light table, as well as
an IBM-clone computer. You can use all of these things. However, you
should try to bring your own supplies (staples, diskettes, etc) or put
a donation in the can if you use staples, for example. This isn't
really worked out yet, but the idea is simply to not have to shell out
of our own pockets for this stuff.

The computer isn't quite straightened out yet. The hard disk dropped
dead, and it's limping along at only 4 megabytes free, and so all the
software we have (Word Perfect, First Publisher, WordStar, etc) isn't
all loaded at once. The hard disk will be replaced ``soon''. It sure
would be nice if someone besides Tom  could help with this thing\dots

\section{Stuff we need.}

All of the stuff we're making available are things we scrounged
ourselves. Some of them are barely adequate; the shear is too small,
the saddle stapler really isn't, etc. Office equipment donations
gladly accepted!

Also expendables like staples, glue sticks, tape, etc are always
needed; swipe 'em from work if possible.


\section{The free shelf.}

There is a shelf on the wall marked ``FREE STUFF'', that is stuff
donated by other people. Feel free to use anything you find, and
please add things to it if you can.

\section{Hours and access.}

We don't have any fixed hours. In general, ``after work'' and nights
and weekends seems to be when people show up. So far it hasn't been a
problem. 

Please keep in mind that it's also our house. Everyone involved so far
has been our circle of friends and contacts, and we'd kinda like to
keep it that way, though new people are welcome. 

Though no cigarette smoking is allowed in the building, there's a
small yard to smoke right outside the door.

There is a telephone (XXX-XXXX) with an answering machine on it that
XXXXXX

% ----------------

\section{Operating the machine.}

\section{Adding toner.}

\section{Clearing jams.}

\endtwocol
\bye
