Abstract: An automatic library system for providing computer access to data carriers therein includes a store for the data carriers, and at least one read/write station for the data carriers having an in/out opening. An intermediate store is arranged adjacent the in/out opening for an intermediate storage of the data carders in at least one intermediate storage position. A controller is provided which is capable of initiating transportation of one of the data carders directly from said store to the in/out opening or from the store to the intermediate store. The controller is also capable of initiating transportation of one of the data carriers stored in the intermediate store to the in/out opening of the read/write station upon a request for the one of the data carders by the computer. In such a manner, operational delays for the automatic library system are significantly reduced.

Abstract: A process is useful for operating an automatic data carrier archive associated as a memory with a computer. The data carriers are transported to and fro between various stations of the data carrier archive by a control device of the data carrier archive. The stations of the data carrier archive comprise at least one data carrier store and on write/read station for the data carriers. In order to improve the availability of the data carriers, each transport operation corresponds to at least one transport function, a priority is assigned to each transport function, transport functions with high priority are executed with low priority transport functions, and when the computer requests a data carrier in the write/read station, at least the immediate transport between the write/read station and another station is executed with a transport of highest priority.