PURPOSE: To prevent a flaw and a data loss due to contact between the surface of a tape and a high speed head wheel by matching this optical tape to a helical path around an axial line and directing a beam of radiant energy to a side part of the optical tape at the time of rotating the optical tape.

CONSTITUTION: A coil-like packed tape is arranged coaxially with a rotary axial line of a drum 10. The drum 10 is provided with a device for advancing the tape along the helical path formed sectionally on the outer side cylindrical surface of the drum. In order to retrieve information from the optical tape, the tape is matched to the helical path around the axial line, and the tape is rotated around this axial line, and then the beam of radiant energy is converged onto the side part of the tape on the opposite side to the axial line to detect the information on this spot during the rotation of the tape. Then, when the tape is under rotation, information is recorded on the side part of the tape on the opposite side to the axial line. Consequently, the information carrier surface of the tape in not brought into contact with the outer side cylindrical surface of the rotary drum.