It’s billed as a “special” meeting.

But whether the Aug. 17 meeting of the San Juan Island Library Board of Trustees turns out to be special or marked by disappointed remains to be seen.

By then, results of the Aug. 16 primary election will have been calculated and board members should know where they and the library stand.

“It’ll either be a very brief meeting where we get together and think about how to thank the community,” said Mark Madsen, a member of the board, who spoke as a private citizen for purposes of this article, “Or will have to starting thinking about our next steps.”

Those next steps would likely include, depending on the outcome of the election, those next steps would likely include a plan for scaling back the slate of services the library currently offers.

Madsen said the library will have “exhausted” its reserve fund by the end of the 2012 and without those reserves, which have been used to supplement the yearly dose of property-tax revenue the library receives, the board will be forced to reduce expenses.

On the primary election ballot, voters on San Juan Island will determine whether the library will be the beneficiary of a 12-cent increase in its property tax levy over the next six years. Library officials insist that the 12-cent increase, which would generate roughly $404,000 in additional revenue a year, is needed to maintain the assortment of services and programs, and staffing level, the library provides.

Like all government agencies, the library is allowed a 1-percent annual increase in its property tax levy (plus a trickle of revenue from new construction) regardless of inflation or any uptick in expenses. The library, which this year will receive about $859,000 in tax revenue, would have roughly $1.2 million at its disposal if voters approve the increase.

Though pocketbooks may be stretched thin, Madsen said that the array of services and programs offered at the library have proven popular and are delivered in a efficient and cost-effective manner. As an example, he points to the number of islanders who assist in helping the library run its programs as volunteers. With a team of 132 volunteers contributing as many as 14,000 hours of support each year, the San Juan Island library boasts one of Washington state’s largest volunteer programs, per capita, he said.

“If we didn’t have the volunteer program we need twice as many staff positions to provide the services that we do now,” he said.

In comparison, the library’s eight full-time employees each year provide roughly 15,000-plus hours of work, he said. The majority of the library’s annual expenses — about 62 percent — are used to cover salaries, wages and benefits of its employees.

Madsen said the library has seen an upswing in demand, perhaps because of the economic downturn, and that its programs have proven increasing popular. A year ago, he added, the library’s 5,800 “registered card-holders” borrowed 177,000 various items, its online services drew 392,000 visits and overall usage of its materials has grown 42 percent over the last five years, he said.

With usage up and given the growing demand for its services, Madsen believes most islanders want more of the same from the library.

“I think the community expects us to keep doing what we’re doing, he said.