Adam,

What I do is maintain a sequential file (on AIX) of all tapes that are
'known' to the system and are either 'offsite' (for copy pool tapes that are
moved offsite) or 'unavailable' (for primary pools that we move offsite)
status or show up in the 'query volh type=dbb'.  Each day, the operator
checks out all tapes in the onsite magazines that are due to go offsite with
a script that selects all mounted tapes in particular stgpools as well as
all tapes that are database backups.  This script also issues a 'delete
volhist' command and then builds a second sequential file like the one
described above and 'diffs' them.  The added lines are the tapes to go
offsite and the removed lines are the tapes to come back onsite as scratch
tapes.  Scripts are available for the asking....

Doug Agnew
DBA
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
dagnew AT charlottepipe DOT com

All opinions expressed are those of the writer and are not necessarily
endorsed or known by Charlotte Pipe & Foundry.