8 best book scanners for libraries and businesses
Whether you work in a library, the education sector, or in marketing and publishing, having the right book scanner makes all the difference.
At The Scanner Shop, we understand how important it is for your scanner to meet all of your needs quickly and efficiently. That’s why we’ve combined a selection of our top book scanner picks so you can find the best option for your business.
We stock some of the best brands, from Canon to Epson, perfect for the modern professional. You’ll find some renowned names in our list below.
Are you looking to save money and make an eco-friendly purchase for your business? Why not check out our refurbished scanners, repaired to look and perform like new?
What to look for in a book scanner
When it comes to scanning and uploading books, you need something that can accommodate the size and shape of a book while producing high-quality scans.
There’s nothing worse than text becoming blurry and unreadable once it’s been scanned and uploaded. Things like colour accuracy, resolution, speed, connectivity, and OCR technology all determine whether a scanner is the right choice for you.
Here’s a little checklist to help you narrow down your options:
Bound books, loose sheets, or both?
If you’ll mostly be scanning bound books, such as library stock, artefacts, and fragile items, then an overhead scanner is your best bet.
However, if the scanner will be used for loose sheets, like case files, invoices, and forms, in an office setting, then an ADF or flatbed scanner is better, since they can batch-scan.
A4 vs A3
If you regularly scan media such as newspapers, maps, and ledgers, you’ll need an A3 scanner. An A3 scanner is also essential for those who need to capture two facing pages at once.
Book-friendly design
You don’t want a scanner that’s going to ruin the quality of your book or force you to bend it in order to produce an accurate scan.
V-shaped cradles support the natural design of a book, preventing split or bent pages, cracks in the spine, and pages from being pressed flat.
If you work in a library archiving books, think about these few things:
- Working distance/clearance (can it cope with thick volumes?)
- Whether it supports curved pages (gutter shadow and page curl are common problems)
- Whether you can scan without forcing a book flat
- A stable setup (any hint of wobbling and the scan will blur)
Image quality
While it’s important to look at the DPI before buying a scanner, you also want to look at the bigger picture; image quality is determined by more than one feature.
You’ll want to consider things like colour accuracy, focus and sharpness across the whole page, lighting consistency, and whether edits can be made easily once the scan has gone through.
Many modern scanners come with auto-correction features like deskewing and auto-brightness.
OCR technology
While OCR technology isn’t necessarily essential, it’s definitely an asset for the modern workplace.
With OCR, you can search for scans in a single process, scan handwritten notes or old text with ease, and delicately scan old books, using built-in features to sharpen images.
All of these things make your scans easily findable and readable and ultimately save you plenty of time and effort editing post-scan.
Scan speed
If you work in a job where you’re constantly on the go, or you’re going to share the scanner with lots of staff, you need something quick.
Look for book scanners with high page-per-minute speeds, but also ones that are easy to navigate and don’t require a complicated setup.
8 best book scanners for your business
We’ve collected some of our best book scanners and listed them for you below, following the criteria we previously went through.
So, in no particular order:
1. ScanSnap SV600 A3 Book Scanner
Resolution: 285 x 218 dpi
Speed: 3 seconds per page
Best for: Libraries, publishing and editorial, offices
The ScanSnap SV600 is great for libraries, schools, and office teams that need clean, readable copies without a complicated setup.
Since it scans from above, you can digitise bound material without damaging spines, and it comes with built-in correction for curved pages. It also comes with helpful “scan as you go” modes, with page-turning detection and a timed mode.
While it’s an A3 scanner, it can also scan A4 maps, documents, and blueprints, making it a versatile option for artists and architects.
2. CZUR ET-24 A3 Book Scanner
Resolution: 320 dpi default
Speed: 1.5 seconds per page
Best for: Libraries, publishers, and researchers
The CZUR ET-24 A3 scanner is a reliable, professional book scanner that’s perfect for scanning bound books, magazines, journals, pamphlets, and loose documents.
It has A3 capture with a 24MP Sony CMOS sensor, making it ideal for two-page spreads, as it captures text clearly. CZUR’s ET series uses laser-assisted page shape detection for automatic curve correction, and the CZUR software supports OCR in 180+ languages.
If you handle delicate books and artefacts daily, then this is the choice for you.
3. CZUR M3000 Pro A3 Book Scanner
Resolution: 470 dpi standard, up to 1000 dpi
Speed: 1.5 seconds per page
Best for: Universities, schools, and libraries
With a sleek, modern design and a top LED + side LED lighting system, the CZUR M3000 Pro scanner is changing the game.
The V-shaped cradle reduces strain on books while scanning, preventing damage. It has a 48 MP high-resolution CMOS Sensor that captures every detail for sharp, accurate scans every time.
It also supports dual-page scanning and uses AI-powered image processing to deskew, auto-crop, and correct imperfections before submitting the scan. This scanner scans up to A3, so it’s also a good fit for bigger originals like ledgers, newspapers, maps, and two-page spreads.
4. IRIScan Desk 7 Business A3 Overhead Scanner
Resolution: 600 dpi
Speed: 1 sec at 600 dpi
Best for: library counters, publishing and editorial, home offices
The IRIScan Desk 7 Business scanner is designed for teams that need quick, repeatable scanning of books, magazines, loose sheets, and IDs/passports.
Since it scans from above, you don’t have to press bound material flat onto a glass bed. OCR text-to-speech technology allows you to find and organise scans in seconds and turn them into editable text.
An A3 capture area and 24MP sensor make it perfect for scanning books, images, and documents. Plus, it speeds things up with page detection, page-turn detection, book curve flattening, and finger removal.
5. IRIS Desk 7 PRO A3 Overhead Scanner
Resolution: 600 dpi
Speed: 1 sec at 600 dpi
Best for: Libraries, schools, small businesses
Similar to the IRIScan desk 7, the IRIS Desk 7 Pro offers all the same features and more.
This portable book scanner can scan bound pages, magazines, loose sheets, IDs and passports without flattening everything onto a glass bed. With one-click scanning and auto-detection, it simplifies the whole scanning process.
You can scan from any angle with its adjustable arm. Better yet, it can act as a camera source for apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Its super-high resolution and high frame rate make it the perfect book scanner for every business.
6. IRIS Desk 6 PRO A3 Overhead Scanner
Resolution: 300 dpi
Speed: 1 sec at 300 dpi
Best for: libraries, offices, and remote workers
The IRIS Desk 6 PRO scanner is a handy choice when you want an A3 overhead scanner that can handle books, documents, receipts, and IDs/passports, all while fitting neatly on a desk.
It’s quick to set up, making it ideal for day-to-day scanning, and is perfect for those on the go, as it’s completely portable and powered by USB! Not only can it be used for scanning, but it can also be used for filming.
It has a powerful 21 MP camera lens with a built-in mic, perfect for filming videos for Youtube and social media or for educational purposes. It also comes with powerful text-to-speech technology and a self-timer mode.
You can also enjoy book curve flattening, finger removal, auto page-turn detection, and auto de-skew/multi-crop features.
7. Plustek OpticBook 3800L
Resolution: 1200 dpi
Speed: 7 sec at 300 dpi
Best for: libraries, schools, publishers
The Plustek OpticBook 3800L is designed specifically for book scanning, featuring advanced OCR and CCD optical technologies.
It can scan books from anywhere, anytime. You can enjoy an A4 book-focused flatbed with Plustek’s 6mm book-edge design and SEE (Shadow Elimination Element) technology. Its adjustable design means you can scan books of any size with ease.
Its user-friendly design features one-touch buttons (Delete/Colour/Grey/B&W), meaning you don’t have to be tech-savvy to use it. Plus, to save you the hassle, it comes with automatic page rotation and basic clean-up features.
The OCR technology allows you to convert scans into searchable PDF, ePub, and Microsoft Office formats.
8. Plustek OpticBook 4800
Resolution: 1200 dpi
Speed: 3.6 secs per page
Best for: libraries, schools, universities, offices
Compact and powerful, the Plustek OpticBook 4800 is perfect for documents, books, and CAD drawings.
However, if you’re looking for something that can scan artwork, then this isn’t the scanner for you. Instead, use it for textbooks, manuals, bound books, and journals. This A4 colour and black-and-white scanner is quick and reliable, with a 2mm book edge to reduce spine shadow.
Its advanced software detects issues and fixes them automatically once the scan is complete, saving you time. It also includes built-in OCR for Windows and Mac, plus support for ePub file output, making it ideal for modern students and professionals.
Choose The Scanner Shop today
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Alongside our book scanners, we have a wide range of modern and classic scanners for every function, meaning there’s bound to be something for you at a great price.
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