System for selecting a robotic mechanism best suited to perform a job from multiple robotic mechanisms in a storage library

An automated storage library for the storage and retrieval of media objects, the storage library comprising:

• a frame having a plurality of media object storage cells for storing media objects and at least one media object player for playing the media objects;
• a plurality of different types of robotic mechanisms for performing the same type of tasks with each robotic mechanism being movable within the frame to mount a media object from a media object storage cell into the at least one media object player and to dismount a media object from the at least one media object player into a media object storage cell;
• and
• a controller for gathering variables in a criteria database to form a decision algorithm, the variables including attributes of each robotic mechanism type and attributes of each of the robotic mechanisms, the media objects, and the at least one media object player, the controller operable for transferring attributes of a job request into the decision algorithm, and then using the decision algorithm to select a robotic mechanism best suited for performing the job request based on the attributes of each robotic mechanism type and the attributes of the robotic mechanisms, the media objects, the at least one media object player, and the job request.