In an update to the Town Council Monday, Town Manager Roger Stancil recommended moving library services to University Mall during construction as planned.

After evaluating other options, including the now-closed Borders building on Fordham Boulevard and the former museum building 523 E. Franklin St., the mall was the most safe, cost efficient option, Stancil said.

Moving to the mall would not extend the project timeline and would cost less than renovating the Borders or 523 E. Franklin Street buildings for temporary use. The council was meeting as today's Chapel Hill News went to press Monday night.

The mall was the original destination picked to temporarily house library services during expansion of the existing library building off Estes Drive. Earlier this year the council suspended that plan for 60 days to discuss moving the library to the mall's Dillard's space permanently. Public opposition and insufficient savings killed that proposal in February.

Relocating library services to the mall would cost the town $775,000, with a $306,000, 18-month lease and $469,000 in renovations.

Moving to the Borders building could cost up to $808,000, and relocating to 523 E. Franklin St. would cost about $1.5 million.

If services are moved to the mall, library expansion construction would begin in August. The new library would open in December 2012.

The expanded library at Pritchard Park will have 63,800 of additional space which would include a meeting room complex, youth services library, teen activity room and computer learning center. There will also be 112 new parking spaces added.