Great scanner for library materials?

July 3, 2008 3:22 PM

Help me find a good scanner for library research - good quality, fast, quiet, portable ... cheap?

I often do research in libraries and like to scan materials when library policy allows. I used to have a pretty decent Canon LIDE scanner, but it was slow. I got a newer, similar scanner - but it has a stupid ridge around the scanning area, and since LIDE can't see anything further than a micron away from the scanner glass, the ridge makes it useless for anything larger than 8.5 x 11 - part of the page doesn't scan at all, just because the ridge holds the page away from the glass.

I've searched online shopping sites and earlier AskMeFi threads, but didn't see anything that quite fit the bill.

So, my criteria in order of importance (first four are non-negotiable):

* OS X compatible (ideally, would also work with Windows 2000)
* good scan quality - none of that LIDE nonsense (tho LIDE with NO RIDGE would be okay)
* flatbed (I'm scanning library materials, so no feeding things through a page at a time)
* portable

* quiet
* fast
* inexpensive

A handheld might be okay if it can do hundreds of pages in an afternoon.

In the meantime, I've been using a 7MP camera with more or less acceptable results, but a fast scanner would be spiffy.

Thanks!

posted by kristi to technology (5 comments total)

ScanSnap.
posted by webhund at 5:03 PM on July 3

Oops. My bad. Missed the "flatbed" requirement. Take back. But the ScanSnaps are great machines.
posted by webhund at 5:06 PM on July 3

Opticbook 3600 for all your research (and copyright infringement) needs. If only you were using Windows. It's a perfect scanner for books. I don't know of an OSX equivalent.
posted by i_am_a_Jedi at 5:31 PM on July 3

Vuescan supports a wide variety of scanners under OS X. Might be worth a try with that OpticBook 3600.
posted by Kikkoman at 9:10 PM on July 3

FYI, those little text scanners advertised in SkyMall are crap, so don't get one of those. I have one and it was a huge waste of money.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:52 AM on July 5