Strict police security has turned the National Library into a fortress on the eve of a visit by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Picture by Amit Datta

A technocrat President, a champion of education and a best-selling author.

But when Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam will step into the National Library on Thursday afternoon, the President of India is all set to come in the way — unwittingly, though — of readers and books.

Kalam is scheduled to turn up at the seat of learning at 5pm. After inaugurating a conference on “Development of Eastern India: Strategic Issues in a National Perspective”, he will spend 30 minutes on the sprawling campus, visiting the new reading room and the Rare Books Section.

On the eve of the visit by the President, preparations — from security drills to construction of the dais — were in full swing.

“If this is the situation today, we can imagine what’s going to happen tomorrow,” said a reader from CIT Road.

A regular at the library since 1998, the man in his fifties had an unusual experience in the Rare Books Section, where electricians were busy working on the wiring and the staff readied a table on which the rare manuscripts would be displayed.

“I wanted to sit at the micro-film reader but they said not today,” he said

As police jeeps streamed into the Alipore compound, along with three-wheelers carrying construction materials, readers were reminded of their January 12, 2005, experience. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had come to the library to attend a CII programme.

“I have decided not to turn up tomorrow and face the humiliation again,” said a reader.

But the library authorities have claimed that readers will not suffer. “The police have been instructed to allow everyone with a valid membership card and so there shouldn’t be any problem. But there could be some restrictions between 5.45pm and 6.15pm,” said Sudhendu Mandal, director of the National Library.