...tape slots in our library magazines (Overland & others probably) are supposedly designed so that the tapes (LTO3s) cannot be put in 'upside-down' or any other way for that matter due to the cut-out in the back corner of the tape.

However, because the tapes are not square (i.e. length & breadth are slightly different) it has been found that they can go into the CAP at 90 degrees to what they should (the difference in dimensions causes the tab in the CAP & the cut-out on the tape to miss each other totally) - this did cause some consternation to say the least & not a few issues with the robot! (None of this was caused by myself I hasten to add ;) )

OK this really isn't funny... OK it is.  But is shouldn't be.  I'm never amazed anymore at some of the things like this that I see. I once ran into a situation where the library was designed to take both LTO and DLT drives.  Of course the slots could hold either tape density.  Needless to say, the wrong tapes were loaded for the drive type but since they fit in the slot, no one gave it a second thought. 

When getting new people to do the tapes they don't know to do a quick scan to make sure the write protect tab is in the right place.

But I figured it out my self by looking inside the libarary  - to me it stood out like a Klingon at a Ferengi business meeting.

We're getting better at documenting EVERYTHING, looks like.  "Don't put your tapes in upside down" used to be something we could just assume people would follow but that was before people would ask for "official documentation" for every little thing.  (I'm not saying that's a good or bad thing, just an AMUSING thing.  ;-) )

Also: J., I love your "DS9" reference!  Qapla'!

If the tape labels were placed upside down on the tapes, it could have confused the operator.

Luckily the tape didn't get stuck inside the tape drive.