CAML Review / Revue de l'ACBM (Canadian Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres / Association canadienne des bibliothèques, archives et centres de documentation musicaux)

McArthur, Michael

On Course - Richard Whiteman Quartet (CD Review)

Desmeules, Robin

Test of Time – Mike Murley, Ed Bickert, and Steve Wallace (CD Review)

Rondeau, Sophie

 CAML REVIEW / REVUE DE L’ACBM  41, NO. 3 (NOVEMBER / NOVEMBRE 2013) PAGE 13 
To Find or Not to Find: An Evaluation of Naxos Music Library’s 
Search and Browse Capabilities 
 
By Sophie Rondeau 
Introduction 
Naxos Music Library (NML) is a popular online music streaming service offered to patrons by many 
libraries, both public and academic. NML claims to be the largest online classical music library, and 
in addition to offering music streaming, it also provides background services including audio book 
transcriptions, libretti and synopses, a pronunciation guide, glossary, musical terms, work analyses, 
and work details. As an online music library, it is essential that NML’s interface support usability and 
findability. Following the principles of Information Architecture outlined by Morville and Rosenfeld, 
this paper will provide a heuristic evaluation of NML’s search and browse capabilities.1 It should be 
noted that this examination is limited exclusively to NML, and does not include other sites of Naxos 
Digital Services Ltd.  
A heuristic evaluation is a review of a website, often conducted by a usability expert, for the 
purpose of identifying existing problems and areas for improvement. Although I am not prepared to 
call myself an expert, I do have an understanding of the principles of Information Architecture. As 
well, I am a user of NML, so am able to provide a review that examines the search and browse 
features from both vantage points. Needless to say, a heuristic evaluation that only examines 
search and browse is an incomplete review. A complete review would include a comprehensive 
examination of labelling and organization systems, as well as a more detailed examination of NML’s 
navigation system than will be presented here. An even more rigorous heuristic review can go so far 
as to include several experts from different backgrounds—the information architect being one of 
those experts—to evaluate the many aspects of a site. Nonetheless, search and browse capabilities 
are essential functions for most websites, and deserve critical evaluation, especially in light of 
NML’s status as a subscription-based service. 
Search 
To test the search capability in NML, I conducted a search using the term “nocturne.” The search 
certainly yielded substantial results; I received 2230 results. I also searched “nocturnes” and 
received the same number of results, which indicates that NML’s search is designed with a 
stemming tool to retrieve variant terms (in this case, the singular is also retrieved when searching 
the plural). NML’s search interface also has a spell checker; it does not automatically correct search 
terms, but provides a “did you mean” correction with a hyperlink to the correctly spelled term.  
                                                          
Sophie Rondeau currently works as a Media Librarian for the CBC Radio Archives in Winnipeg. She has an 
M.Mus. from the University of Manitoba and an MLIS from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 
1. Peter Morville and Louis Rosenfeld, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web (Sebastopol, CA: 
O’Reilly, 2007). 
 CAML REVIEW / REVUE DE L’ACBM  41, NO. 3 (NOVEMBER / NOVEMBRE 2013) PAGE 14 
The lack of controlled vocabularies is a weakness of NML’s underlying metadata. A search for 
nocturnes will retrieve stemmed variants, but does not expand the semantic nature of a query by 
including synonyms or foreign language alternates. For example, the term Nachtstücke, which 
translates as “Night Pieces,” is not included in a search for nocturnes. When dealing with Western 
European music, foreign language equivalents are common, and creating links between 
synonymous foreign language terms is important for an exhaustive search. NML could benefit from 
including a synonym ring: a metadata tool for connecting terms defined as equivalent (see fig. 1).  
 
Figure 1: A synonym ring 
The number of search results retrieved using the term nocturne(s) would certainly increase if 
equivalent terms were included. Although high recall can be desirable for those seeking exhaustive 
searches, it can also overwhelm those seeking greater precision. NML provides an Advanced Search 
option which can help focus a search, but that tool presupposes a certain degree of knowledge. It 
also requires users to think before they search, and research in website design clearly indicates that 
users don’t want to have to think too hard. Users prefer an interactive system that provides ease 
and flexibility.  
One way varying needs can be accommodated is through faceted classification. In practice, facets 
are optional links for refinement of queries. They provide linked access to the underlying metadata. 
They benefit users seeking greater precision, while those satisfied with high recall may simply 
ignore them or use them to examine the full range of results more categorically. I would favour 
facets over NML’s Advanced Search option because of their ease of use and flexibility. They provide 
visually immediate options for refinement; users simply click on pre-established links. This is not to 
suggest that the Advanced Search option be entirely discarded since it may serve users with very 
specific needs. 
Search engines use algorithms in many ways, and NML is no exception. Although no search engine 
will meet all user needs, the manner in which NML presents search results is irregular; there is no 
apparent organizational scheme to the results. The query is restated at the top of the results, but 
there is no sort order or ranking, never mind sort options. Users would have to sort through the 
results one at a time, and with 2230 results, it is unlikely most users will do this. The ambiguous 
 CAML REVIEW / REVUE DE L’ACBM  41, NO. 3 (NOVEMBER / NOVEMBRE 2013) PAGE 15 
results display could be improved with faceted classification. Examples of facets suitable for NML 
could include: 
 Artist 
 Composer 
 Instrument 
 Label 
 Period 
One may argue that faceted classification is not appropriate for an online library with as much 
content as NML; facets can lose their effectiveness when there are too many refinement options. 
There is some validity to this argument; however, instead of offering limited opportunity for 
refinement, and leaving the user with a barrage of unorganized search results, the system could be 
enhanced by providing expandable containers. WorldCat illustrates how expandable containers can 
handle substantial content. The screenshot example provided (see fig. 2) illustrates options for 
refinement in a search for nocturnes in WorldCat. Something similar could be valuable for NML. 
 
 
Figure 2: An example of expandable containers in WorldCat 
Expandable container 
 CAML REVIEW / REVUE DE L’ACBM  41, NO. 3 (NOVEMBER / NOVEMBRE 2013) PAGE 16 
Browse 
A good database interface offers both search and browse capabilities, and NML does indeed 
accommodate browsing, although, as mentioned above, it does not integrate these two functions 
simultaneously. NML does integrate global and local navigation, and has minimal supplemental 
navigation in the form of guides and tutorials. NML’s global navigation system is characteristically 
present on every page of the site at the top in a horizontal navigation bar. The entire NML can be 
browsed by Composer, Genre, or Label. As well, users may browse Artists, New Releases, and 
Recent Additions. The Genre category expands to provide local navigation through a drop-down 
menu. NML offers limited integration of global and local navigation, and perhaps for good reason. 
The content of many of the global categories is simply too large to expand through a drop-down 
menu.  
The distinction between New Releases and Recent Additions is not entirely clear. When browsing by 
New Releases, the user may choose to refine by label, whereas the Recent Additions tab provides 
for further refinement by Featured Additions or All Recent Additions. The All Recent Additions 
option allows further refining by Date Range, and those dates help clarify NML‘s definition of 
“recent additions.” Recent and Featured Additions are displayed for browsing on the homepage, 
which may prove desirable for returning users looking for new items.  
NML uses an alphabetical organization scheme for Composers, Labels, and Artists. Browsing by 
Composer or Artist can be laborious because of the size of the collection. Although NML 
automatically filters alphabetically, there are many links within most filters that browsing becomes 
cumbersome. I would suggest that NML further refine their alphabetical filter so there are fewer 
results per page. For example: CA - CD; CE - CH.  
NML offers further refinement once an artist or composer has been selected. Users may view by 
Album or Work, and again, the user may select alphabetical or numerical filters. As well, users may 
select categories from a controlled list. These options provide users with greater flexibility to 
explore the online library. 
Conclusion 
Although there is a wealth of music content on NML, the scope of the site is quite focused: it is a 
classical online music streaming service, offering certain background services as well. NML has 
distinct boundaries with the content it provides to users; it is not attempting to be “all things to all 
people.” Given its focus, it is within NML’s reach to enhance its online service to attract more users 
and facilitate greater and more effective discovery. Search and browse are essential tools to the 
discovery process, and although NML is doing some things well, they could certainly go further in 
enhancing their service to the user. As a subscription-based service among many free music 
streaming services, NML must continue to improve its functionality to convince users of its worth. 
 


To Find or Not to Find: An Evaluation of Naxos Music Library’s Search and Browse Capabilities

-, -

Lettre envoyée à M. Daniel Caron en mars 2013

Popowich, Sam

Vinyl: A History of the Analogue Record (Book Review)

White, Kimberly

Leive, Cynthia

From Salon Romance to the Café-Concert Chanson: 19th-Century French Networks of Music Promotion and Consumption

Maley, Desmond

Folk-Farber, Kyra

Higham, Peter

CAML on Vancouver Island (Congress 2013)

Stephen, J. Drew

Janet and Between the Shore and the Ships: The Grand-Pré Recordings - Helen Pridmore, soprano (CD Review)

CAML Letter to Kathleen McMorrow

Beck, Kaili

Aboriginal Music in Contemporary Canada: Echoes and Exchanges (Book Review)

Not a member yet