[AV Media Matters] Newbie to list question - tape baking, is it wrong?

[Will Kreth <wkreth@austin.rr.com>]

Greetings-

I've got a circa 1982 Ampex 2" 16-track tape that I want to transfer to
ProTools. It has been stored in various conditions and levels of
humidity since that time, but has not been played since then. I've been
told that I'll need to "bake" the tape to keep the acetate from coming off
on the heads. Is this normal (and is it the only way to do it right?)
This person said that after baking, the tape would only be good for about
2 to 4 plays, so I want to make sure. Aside from the difficulty in finding
an old 2" machine with a 16-track head (I know you can play them on a
24-track machine with some level of reliability) - I'm cautious about
going forward. I'm located in Austin, TX.

All tips/help greatly appreciated!

Will