Spotted on the "code4lib" mailing list, forwarding here because,I'm hoping someone can/will help this grad student out. ---rsk ]
The forwarded message, was from a grad-student, attempting to read/recover/preserve some IBM MT/ST magnetic tapes, from an academic business museum. Their message included a Web link to the RICM, the Rhode Island Computer Museum. The link the student found, shows recent work on restoring an IBM MT/ST with its Selectric typewriter and magtape console. The physical format of the tape makes it unlikely that any other apparatus could recover the tape's content. I suggested privately to the person, that they follow up on RICM and make good contacts there. That's a great group which has preserved vintage computers for decades. They provide public access to their works. I think there would be mutual benefit from that contact. I also provided contact links to a data recovery service, and to a Selectric repair service. They may have leads to some recovery services. Regards Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA https://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com or try later herbjohnson AT comcast DOT net