A holder for wide magnetic recording tape has a frame with four generally rectangular sides and an open top and an open bottom, with a frame height extending between the open top and the open bottom. Magnetic recording tape is wound in tape packs respectively on two hubs that are rotatably mounted between opposite sides of the frame. Because of the open structure of the frame, during a write/read operation the tape pack on one of the hubs can have a diameter which exceeds the height of the frame, thereby allowing substantially all of the magnetic recording tape to be wound on one of the hubs, if necessary.