Abstract: A system for storing and retrieving information-bearing units or modules, such as magnetic tape cassettes, including a fixed two-dimensional storage array, a fixed processing or play station for extracting information from the units, and a movable selection mechanism, having three degrees of freedom, for retrieving individual modules from the storage area, transferring them to the processing area and then returning them to the storage area after the information contained therein has been extracted. Additionally, the system includes means for automatically sequencing a series of units, as well as a preprocessing station for cueing up individual units for intra-unit accessing.