Tampa Public Library, 900 North Ashley Street

Night view of Tampa Public Library building at 900 North Ashley Street. 1968 Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

Night view of the John F Germany Library, 900 North Ashley Street 2021.© Chip Weiner

In this work, it would be remiss not to mention the Tampa Public Library, now the John F Germany Library, given its role in conserving and preserving the Burgert Brothers Collection. Through a series of missteps and neglect, the priceless photographs and negatives might have easily ended up elsewhere or destroyed if not for the efforts of Henry Cox Sr. of Tampa Photo Supply and the Friends of the Library, the non-profit organization of citizens committed to a strong library system. They arranged to purchase the collection in 1974 for $2000. Ever since, the library has been conserving, documenting, and making public the nearly centuries-long work of the Burgerts. This photo was likely one of the last taken by the company and most likely by Al Severson, the last remaining owner of the business.

You will notice it does not have the typical Burgert Brothers signature and negative markings and looks to have been shot in a 35mm format with low-contrast film. That equipment was used during the heyday of the Burgerts, and they had all died when this photo was taken in 1968. Their photographs and negatives are now stored in secure and conditioned cabinets, and the library thankfully continues its work on conserving, scanning publishing, and caretaking of the Burgert's work.

The original main building of Tampa Public Library opened on April 27, 1917, at 102 East Seventh Avenue. In 1922, it became the Tampa Public Library, Main Branch, when branch libraries began to open. This library served the community until 1968, when the new building at 900 North Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa was dedicated on April 21, 1968. Due to the rapid growth of Tampa, a four-story, 50,000-square-foot annex featuring an elevated glass walkway connecting the annex to the original facility was dedicated on May 23, 1976. In 1984, the library became part of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System when a county-wide system was created by CHAPTER 84-443, Laws of Florida. On November 1, 1999, the Main Library was renamed to honor local attorney, former judge, civic leader, and long-time library supporter John F. Germany. The 140,000-square-foot John F. Germany Public Library serves as the reference hub and resource center for all citizens of Hillsborough County and as the flagship library of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System.

From Burgert Brothers: Look Again, Vol. 1

Rear view of the John F Germany Library, including the domed auditorium. Date unknown. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida digital collection

Construction of the auditorium of the City of Tampa municipal library, May and June. 1966. Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library

Signs indicating the future construction site for the Main Municipal Library, later to become the 1965 Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library

Interior of the John F Germany Library, Date unknown. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida digital collection