Abstract: A targeting device suitable for mounting an optical scanner includes a frame, a linkage slidably mounted on the frame, an actuator arm secured to the linkage, which actuator arm has an outer surface configured to slidingly engage the surface of the object to be scanned and a holder mounted on such that the actuator arm moves in tandem with the linkage along the frame when the object to be scanned is inserted between the actuator arm and a support surface below the actuator arm so that an optical scanner in the holder is held at a predetermined scanning distance from the object to be scanned.