[fjtorres]

On the hardware side, I would suggest paying attention to the return time on flatbed scanners.
Optical resolution is important for clarity (especially with small-text books) but almost as important is the *time* it takes to scan each page.
Most scanners will tell you they can do so many pages per minute but that is a maximum for low-resolution B&W scans; few break it down into scan and return time. Slow scan times are unavoidable (You want a quality scan, after all) but slow return times are avoidable. They just cost extra to avoid.
In an ideal scenario you want the scan array to return in the time it takes you to flip the page and reposition the book. Otherwise the job can get painfully dreary waiting for...the..head...to...return...
Also, be aware, the best scanners for text tend to be sub-standard for images and vice-versa (unless you have really deep pockets). For a while I had access to a professional Epson GS series scanner that was a joy to use. (I did a couple of 400-page books in less than an hour each.) But at US$3500 new way out of reach. (Even used, on eBay they ran way too rich for my budget. But I thought of it.) A similar attempt on my cheap home scanner ran me over three hours.
For my new scanner, I paid a bit extra to get a fast return time. It's nowhere near the Epson in speed but it matches my page-turning speed, so my mind doesn't wander much.