Patent ID: 7146622

Claim:
A storage library comprising: a frame having an interior and a frame length; a first storage library module having a first set of media element holding cells, the first storage library module being mounted to the frame at a first position along the frame length, the frame supporting the first storage library module such that the first set of cells are positioned within the frame interior at the first frame length position and along the periphery of a channel extending within the frame interior through the frame length; a second storage library module having a second set of media element holding cells, the second storage library module being mountable to the frame at a second position along the frame length, the frame supporting the second storage library module when the second storage library module is mounted to the frame such that the second set of cells are positioned within the frame interior at the second frame length position and along the periphery of the channel; a media element handling assembly having a support, a platform, a suspension drive, and a picker assembly, the support being connected to the frame at a third position along the frame length and the suspension drive being connected to the support, the platform being movably connected to the suspension drive and the picker assembly being supported on the platform; wherein the first and second storage library modules are void of media element handling assembly hardware for moving the picker assembly through the channel along the frame length; wherein the suspension drive movably suspends the platform to move the picker assembly through the channel along the frame length so that the picker assembly may move toward the first frame length position and manipulate media elements held by the first set of cells and toward the second frame length position and manipulate media elements held by the second set of cells when the second storage library module is mounted to the frame.