You probably should not send books in advance of the inmate's arrival. Magazines are the same thing, but since they both have a lag time in their delivery, you could "time it" if you know the reporting date and order them a month ahead.
Books and magazines sent to a facility before an inmate arrives will either be refused, held indefinitely, or returned. Facilities only accept mail and packages for inmates who are currently in the system at that location. Someone who has not yet reported does not have an active record there, which means anything addressed to them has nowhere to go.
That said, books and magazines have their own built-in lag time between when you order and when they actually arrive at the facility. If you know the reporting date in advance, you can use that lag to your advantage. Ordering about a month ahead of the turn-in date gives the item time to be processed, shipped, and arrive right around when your person is settling in and could use something to read.
Timing it that way takes a little planning but it works well in practice. InmateAid carries both books and magazines and can help you get the order moving at the right time.
On the calling card question, purchasing a calling card during booking is not typically possible. The booking process is an administrative intake, not a commissary transaction. Once your person is processed and has an active account at the facility, phone funds can be added through the carrier's platform. Getting an InmateAid discount number set up before they report means the savings are in place from the first call they make.