 The bids are in and the friends of the Carnegie Library in Bemidji are optimistic about the new numbers. This is the second time the project to restore the 110-year-old building has gone out for bids. The original bids included moving the building back, which added significant cost to the project, but now the plan is to renovate the building where it sits, making the project more feasible. The total cost of the project is an estimated $2.2 million, which is in striking distance for fundraising. We are very pleased to have had a good number for those bids, not exactly as low as our original estimate, but roughly $35,000 more than we had estimated. So it takes our gap to roughly $200,000. So far the group has raised $2.05 million for the renovations. Donations continue to roll in, with one being a $100,000 matching grant from an anonymous donor to host a children's reading program in the original library. It makes this building, which is going to be useful for all sorts of other things for the city, but this children's reading program is going to really like re-invoke the ghost of the old Carnegie. The final decision to move forward with the lowest bid and officially start the project will be made by the Bemidji City Council next Monday. The friends of the Carnegie are asking for all supporters of the project to attend the council meeting. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.