An image reader includes an image reading device, which is capable of reading a document, an initialization operation control device, which performs an initialization operation before a reading operation starts, in order to return the image reading device to a standby position where the image reading device needs to be located until the reading operation starts, an storage device that stores flag data representing whether the initialization operation needs to be performed, and a flag data control device that controls the flag data. When the flag data represents necessity of execution of the initialization operation, the initialization operation control device performs the initialization operation. When the flag data represents nonnecessity of the execution of the initialization operation, the initialization operation control device does not perform the initialization operation.