Hi Erin,
I think the first thing to think about is the format of your objects. If you have a lot of large format works (so bigger than 8×10) you should get a scanner that is big enough to accommodate that in one shot. You can always stitch the images together but that creates more work and you have to fit that into your workflow.
Also, depending on what it is and how it is to be used, scanning can be overkill. Snapping a picture with a good DSLR camera may be plenty good and a lot faster. You just need a jig to make sure the camera is squared to the subject. This is the Internet Archive technique.
I hope this helps! And it would be great to hear from others!