Reading from tape device from a program

[H Bruce]

I have large database of fingerprint images to test a fingerprint
comparison algorithms. However the disk space is now needed for something
else.  I can save all the images to an Exabyte tape.  If I need to access
them again it will be for an "offline" trial. The images will be used
sequentially so to avoid reading them onto disk can I access the tape
device from a program ?  If so can I read the filename and then the data ?

Henry Bruce