DeKALB – City and library officials are trying to reduce the cost – but not the size – of the DeKalb Public Library’s planned expansion so they can secure an $8.5 million state grant.

Officials want to reduce the initial project costs from $24 million to $20 million by putting off renovations to the existing library space. Library board President Clark Neher said state officials have no issue with cutting costs, so long as the expanded library did not change in size.

“We don’t want people to think we’re losing $4 million of the library,” Neher said. “It will be phased-in, but it will not be added on in this initial sequence.”