Small library horseshoe architecture

A storage library for recording and retrieving information from a plurality of storage media cartridges, wherein each storage media cartridge has a label side, the storage library comprising:

• a housing having left, right, front, and back sides, wherein the front side of the housing has an opening;
• left and right plurality of slots disposed proximate the left and right sides of the housing for holding the plurality of storage media cartridges, wherein the left and right plurality of slots and the plurality of storage media cartridges are oriented so that each label side of the plurality of storage media cartridges is visible to an operator through the opening, wherein each of the left and right plurality of slots are accessible to the operator via the opening for the operator to access the storage media cartridges being held by the left and right plurality of slots;
• at least one media drive disposed proximate the back side of the housing, the at least one media drive being operative to receive a storage media cartridge through a port;
• and
• a robotic mechanism disposed between the left and right plurality of slots, the robotic mechanism being operative to move the plurality of storage media cartridges between the plurality of slots and the at least one media drive.