A method and system for processing a re-editable multimedia document. A method for processing a re-editable multimedia document can include the steps of loading an electronic text file; associating at least one external multimedia element with a selected portion of the loaded electronic text file; storing the association in a separate electronic attributes file; and, responsive to a user-activation of the selected portion of the loaded electronic text file, invoking the at least one associated external multimedia element. The method can further include optically scanning a printed textual document; and, converting the scanned printed textual document into the electronic text file. Finally, the loading step can including loading the electronic text file from an optical disk.