A high speed non-contact beam scanning device sized and shaped to provide the ergonomic benefits of a pen or wand, yet can scan a wide angle moving beam across an information-bearing target in one or two dimensional scan patterns such as lines, rasters or other patterns in order to read information therefrom. The device is well suited for reading one or two dimensional bar-code or other printed matter. In order to achieve the high density optical packaging necessary for its high performance to size benefits the device employs a novel in-line or "axial" gyrating, or "axial" scan element. The axial scan element can accept an input light beam at one end and cause the light beam to emerge from its opposite end as a scanned beam, propagating in the same general forward direction the light beam had upon entering the element. Reflected light, which carries information contained on the target, is collected by an internal non-imaging light collector and is processed by signal processing electronics. All components are integrated into a thin low mass module small enough to fit in a pen. The device is achievable by a cable or by wireless communication.