N.C. State and North Carolina have met twice a season on the basketball court every year since 1919. That's about to change.

The ACC announced its future scheduling plans for men's basketball and football on Friday and there will be more conference games in both sports, with the pending addition of Pittsburgh and Syracuse, but there will be fewer games between traditional ACC rivals.

The majority of the Town Council voted Monday to direct Town Manager Roger Stancil to negotiate with Orange County Manager Frank Clifton to increase the county's share of funding for the Chapel Hill Public Library.

The two council members who voted against that plan wanted an immediate vote in favor of a long-planned $16-million expansion at the current library off Estes Drive. The majority also supported the expansion but opted to wait until an agreement with the county was in hand before acting. The council has until this summer to decide whether to issue about $20 million in bonds for the library and parks that voters approved in 2003.

"I don't see how we strengthen our position with Orange County ... if we make a decision tonight to go forward," said Councilman Matt Czajkowski.

"We don't have to move with irrational haste," agreed Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt.

The majority also left open the possibility that Stancil's talks with the county could include a branch near the Carrboro town line, which might trigger capital funding from the county. As it stands, county leaders are only willing to increase their share of operating costs unless a project would also meet their goal of a full-service branch in Carrboro.

About 40 percent of library patrons come from Orange County outside Chapel Hill, but the county's funding makes up only about 11 percent of the library's operating budget.

"What if the county has the ability to take our $15 million and turn it into $25 million," said Councilman Gene Pease. "I'm kind of intrigued by the pressure we've put on the county and what they've come back with."

Councilwoman Penny Rich, who voted against the delay, doesn't think the county will back out of its tentative proposal to double its annual contribution to $500,000.

But "we can't be sure of anything, of any funding from the county," said Councilman Jim Ward.

Town Manager Roger Stancil wants the Town Council to wait until after he and Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt meet with county board Chairwoman Valerie Foushee and County Manager Frank Clifton before deciding on a $16-million library expansion project.

In a memo prior to tonight's Town Council meeting, Stancil said the council needs to authorize the use of voter-approved bonds or request an extension of those bonds by May 24.

Contributing disproportionately little in funding to the Chapel Hill Public Library, Orange County leaders have said they won't increase their contribution for capital costs unless the town abandons expanding its Estes Drive building in favor of a branch that could serve Carrboro.

In his memo, Stancil presented some arguments in favor of branches both downtown and at University Mall.

"A branch near the Chapel Hill/Carrboro boundary ... could serve ... the economic development of the west end of Franklin and Rosemary Streets ... improve service to the Pine Knolls and Northside neighborhoods [and provide] easier access by pedestrians, bicyclists and riders on public transportation," Stancil wrote.

Town staff have considering leasing space at University Mall while the current library is under construction. "A permanent branch in that location could meet sustainable community goals as well," Stancil wrote.

Stancil's memo did not address whether, in the branch scenario, the mall location would replace the current main library. Efforts to reach him this afternoon were unsuccessful. The town does have other facility needs, for police and parks operations, for example, that might be served by the current library building.

If the Town Council agrees, Stancil plans to meet with Clifton and report back on April 26 on a potential partnership with Orange County on funding any new facilities and operations.

"Given that information, you could make a more informed decision on the provision of services and the method of paying for them," Stancil wrote.

County leaders have tentatively agreed to increase their funding for the library's operational costs. They currently contribute $250,000 a year, about 11 percent of the town's library budget, while non-Chapel Hill county residents borrow 40 percent of the library's materials.

CORRECTED VERSION: The Town Council on Monday will consider moving forward with a $16-million expansion of the Chapel Hill Public Library.

The town has already borrowed and spent about $2 million planning the project, and the council must decide whether to borrow another $14.23 million approved by the voters in 2003. The project would more than double the size of the current library, to more than 60,000 square feet.

Town Manager Roger Stancil says the town's budget for debt service can accommodate the new borrowing, but operating the larger facility will add about 1.3 cents per $100 of valuation to the tax rate once it opens in 2012, meaning additional taxes of about $40 on a year on a $300,000 house.

"The increased ongoing operating costs are significant and will present real challenges as the town's budgets for upcoming years are developed," Stancil wrote in a memo to the council.

UPDATE: I made a decimal point error on the original version of this post. The additional cost on an average home will be about $39 a year, not $390. Sorry for the confusion. See Sunday's Chapel Hill News for more.

The ACC did the wave-making in the last round of major college conference expansion. If the Big Ten adds a 12th team, an option the conference announced last week it would explore, then the ACC could be the one feeling the ripple effect.

The Big Ten, which apparently wants to get into the conference championship game business, has already been shot down by Notre Dame (again). Three Big East teams are allegedly next on the radar: Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Rutgers.

Logically, this can be tossed into the "no way" file.

But just in case smoke is always an indication of fire, there’s speculation within the Big East population that Boston College might listen to suggestions about returning.

The issue has been a casual topic almost from the day BC left to join the ACC. Of late, however, it’s been given some attention by ESPN and a newspaper or two in the Northeast.