A multi-mode document scanning system includes a scanning bed configured to transport a plurality of documents through a scanning area. A scanning camera is configured to image the documents. At least one illumination bank includes a plurality of illumination elements of at least two different light wavelengths interspersed on at least one illumination bank. An illumination source switching assembly controls at last some elements of one wavelength. A selection process selects a wavelength appropriate to a document to be scanned, and instructs a processor operatively coupled to the illumination source switching assembly to illuminate elements of that wavelength. A multi-mode scanning method of document scanning is also described.