Berkeleyside's will hold Open Office hours at PIQ in downtown Berkeley on May 11, 5-7pm

A virtual community can only go so far. Which is why Berkeleyside has decided to hold open office hours every month or so.

The idea is that Berkeleyside readers can meet the Berkeleyside team in the real world, perhaps over a coffee, to talk and share ideas. We will also be open to suggestions and constructive criticism. Bring story ideas, offers to write or take photographs — and tell us about the issues that matter to you in Berkeley.

Berkeleyside was conceived as an online forum as much as an online newspaper, and the community’s input adds incalculable value to our coverage and our site.

Our first Open Office will take place on Wednesday May 11, 5:00-7:00pm at PIQ café, 91 Shattuck Square (between University and Addison) in downtown Berkeley.

As many of the Berkeleyside team that can make it will be there to say hello and chat in the flesh. For those who can’t join us at PIQ we will, at the same time, host a live, concurrent on-line chat. We will provide details nearer the time.

RSVP on our Facebook Event page, or just turn up. We look forward to meeting you, on- or off-line.

Tracey Taylor is co-founder of Berkeleyside and co-founder and editorial director of Cityside, the nonprofit parent to Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Before launching Berkeleyside, Tracey wrote for...