Abstract: A data cartridge handling apparatus comprises a ring-shaped carousel (40) rotatably mounted within a housing (22). Cartridge-accommodating cells (52) are angularly arranged about the carousel between an inner periphery (48) and an outer periphery (50) of the carousel. A transducing drive (70) is mounted within the housing and outside the outer periphery. A motor (60) rotates the carousel to facilitate selective alignment of a selected cell (52S) with the drive (70) along a radial dimension (106) of the carousel. A picker (100, 200) is mounted within the housing at a point within the inner periphery of the carousel (40). The picker (100, 200) has a picker arm (104, 204). A distal end of the picker arm has a gripper (110, 210) which selectively engages and disengages a data cartridge (72).