The first time I processed an internet order for an inmate, it came along with the following comment: "Please include the invoice or it will be marked as contraband." I looked at the book on the order, and it was a harmless enough title that it wasn't even significant to remember now. I processed the order with extra care to highlight the important details, including the inmate's number that the customer provided. I wanted to make sure it reached its destination without any issue.
I take this amount of care with every order we receive on our site, and if you've purchased a book for pickup or shipping from Lake Forest Park, you've probably seen my name at the end of your email confirmations once or a dozen times. I take care not only because I like to do my job well, but I like to make sure the people who took the time to order through us -- carefully combing through staff picks for a new favorite, or checking previous blog posts for gift inspiration -- have an experience similar to actually being *in* our bookstore. Their support creates my desire to ensure the best service. Also, as someone who loves books as much as she depends on them, I know the excitement that comes with getting that package in the mail and opening it up in anticipation of all the new pages to flip through or underline or dog-ear. It's a ritual of sorts, one that I feel is universal among people of the bookish persuasion.
