Patent ID: 8731710

Claim:
A library apparatus comprising: a rack that holds a magazine loaded with a plurality of tape cartridges, the rack including an insertion slot that allows the magazine to be inserted into the rack; a conveying mechanism that attaches the plural tape cartridges to the magazine and detaches the plural tape cartridges from the magazine, the conveying mechanism including a reader configured to read an identifier provided on each of the plural tape cartridges; and a control device that moves the conveying mechanism, prior to the magazine being inserted into the insertion slot, to an identifier reading position enabling the reader to read the identifiers as the magazine is inserted through the insertion slot; wherein the reader is movably mounted to the conveying mechanism to read the identifiers by moving in a direction parallel to a direction in which the magazine is inserted, wherein the reader is configured to move in the direction parallel to the direction in which the magazine is inserted while the magazine is being inserted through the insertion slot.