An image reading apparatus that includes: a document delivering unit; a switchback delivering unit that pulls a document into a switchback delivery path extended to an opening formed on an external surface of an apparatus housing from a predetermined position of the document delivery path; an image reading unit that reads an image of the document delivered to a reading position of the document delivery path; and a control unit that delivers a document inserted into the opening of the switchback delivery path to the reading position by the switchback delivering unit and the document delivering unit, thereby reading an image in a second image reading operation to be carried out by temporarily stopping a first image reading operation.