1. An apparatus, comprising a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to: position a magnetic tape volume to a position corresponding to an end of a last data set stored to the magnetic tape volume; read an existing tape volume access block (TVAB) from the magnetic tape volume in response to a determination that the existing TVAB is stored to the magnetic tape volume; write one or more data sets to the magnetic tape volume subsequent to reading the existing TVAB in response to the determination that the existing TVAB is stored to the magnetic tape volume; determine metadata corresponding to the one or more written data sets, the metadata comprising statistics associated with writing and reading of the magnetic tape volume, the statistics being selected from a group of statistics comprising: a number of bytes read over a predefined time frame; a number of bytes written over the predefined time frame; and temporary error counters over the predefined time frame; and update the existing TVAB with the metadata corresponding to the one or more written data sets to produce an updated TVAB.