Questions about AskCymru

General

What is AskCymru?

AskCymru is a free online service that allows you to ask a question of a trained librarian in Wales. A skilled information professional can guide you to the answers you need directly using trusted web sites and information sources. More than 50 libraries who have direct access to the resources of university, public and college libraries throughout Wales collaborate to provide this service. AskCymru is funded as part of the Libraries for Life programme, which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Where can I see the AskCymru Privacy Statement and service terms and conditions? The most current version of the AskCymru Privacy Statement and user terms and conditions are available here. Please read these terms carefully before acknowledging your acceptance and submitting a question to AskCymru.

Asking a question

What type of question can I ask?

Follow these guidelines to get the most out of AskCymru...

Factual questions only, please!

We are not equipped to offer advice, analyse an issue, or give opinions. For example, we cannot deal with legal issues or give a medical opinion. We can only handle questions to which a documented factual answer might exist.

Please give us some background

Knowing a bit more about why you are asking your question will help us to find the right answer. Tell us:

Why you need to know the answer
Where (if anywhere) you have already looked for an answer
Any other information that you think may be useful for us to know

Projects, essays and research

Please don't expect us to do your project or essay for you! We can help by pointing you to information sources to help with your research, but it is up to you to interpret them and to write your essay in the way your teacher is expecting you to.

Questions about your computer

We sometimes get questions asking for help to sort out a problem with a computer. We cannot give help of this kind. If you are having problems with your computer it is best to seek help from the hardware or software supplier or to look at their web sites.

You may wish to search our Question Archive - the answer to your question may already be available.

How many questions can I ask?

To ensure that everyone gets a fair chance, we ask that you send no more than three questions in a day.

What happens when I send a question to AskCymru?

When you complete the question and click the Ask button, your question is routed to the on-duty librarian. Librarians answer questions in the order they receive them. Typically, you will receive a response to your question within 48 hours. The librarian will contact you via the email address you provided on the question submission form, so please ensure you provide us with a workable e-mail address and that you have entered it correctly.

The email answer you receive will contain a space for you to ask for more details or clarification on the answer. This request for more information will be routed to the librarian who dealt with your original question. To help us answer your question as fully and as quickly as possible, please refer to Question Guidelines

Before sending a question to AskCymru and acknowledging your acceptance, please read the Privacy Statement

How long will AskCymru take to answer my question?

Typically, you will receive a response to your question within 48 hours. If your question is complex or requires a detailed answer, the librarian may contact you asking for further clarification. To help us answer your question as fully and as quickly as possible, please refer to Question Guidelines

What should I do if I encounter a problem when submitting a question?

Having problems? Contact us