Good deal. Yes, for labels, LP covers, & any other printed matter, scanners should always be the preferred method over camera photos.
I wish I could scan LP covers, but my scanner doesn't look like it would fit an LP cover. It's shaped like a piece of paper. So I should take photos of the covers, because of the scanner's shape. But luckily, I can scan record labels, so all hope isn't lost.
That's the main issue of scanning LP album covers. That your scanner's scan area isn't large enough for it to scan the cover completely. You can scan half and half, then use image manipulation software to stitch them together, but that presents it's own set of issues. The best way of doing it is still to take a digital image via a digital camera, only you need to set it up, preferably on some form of rostrum over the album cover that's properly lit without any reflections or bright spots. But then, most people, (who aren't up to the level of professional photographers), probably don't have the necessary equipment to hand and are unlikely to invest in such, purely to take photos of album covers, exclusively. You can make-do, of course. Making a rig of sorts that involve piles of books, a lamp and something to support the camera at the correct height in order to get the best shot. But that takes quite a bit of preparation and experimentation to get it looking right.
