1. A handheld optical scanner for capturing images of text from a rendered document, comprising: a package adapted to be held in a user's hand; and inside the package: an optical sensor that captures images of text from a rendered document; a proximity sensor that determines when the optical sensor is within a predetermined distance and orientation of a rendered document; and a triggering mechanism that causes the optical sensor to capture an image of text from a rendered document when the proximity sensor determines that the optical sensor is within a predetermined distance and orientation of a rendered document.