A transparency adapter for a flat bed scanner of the type commonly used as a stand-alone computer peripheral, including a source of light, either white light such as fluorescent, or a series of red, green and blue light emitting diodes placed in a generally rectangular housing having a length corresponding to the width of the glass platen of a flat bed scanner, and including magnets at either longitudinal end of the transparency adapter, further including magnets positioned on the carriage inside of the flat bed scanner housing, whereby the magnets of the carriage are aligned with the magnets of the transparency adapter so that upon advancement of the carriage along the rails inside of the scanner from one end of the scanner to the other, the magnetic force of the attached magnets causes the transparency adapter to advance along the top surface of the glass platen and to move the transparency adapter in alignment with the carriage.