Yes— a compact point-and-shoot can be practical for this, especially if portability matters. The bigger challenge is usually support and positioning, not camera type.

For books and documents, look for a tripod that can place the camera directly over the subject while keeping it perpendicular to the page. A removable or horizontal center column, or a boom arm, is especially useful because normal tripod legs often get in the way of the table. If you can’t get that, raising the tripod high and zooming in can work, though it’s less convenient.

Any standard camera tripod can fit a compact camera; compacts and DSLRs use the same camera mounting thread. You’ll typically need a tripod head, and for this use a simple inexpensive head is usually fine since the camera is light and precise action shooting isn’t needed.

If budget is tight, some people improvise with cheap tripods, clamps, or custom mounts, but stability and keeping the camera square to the page are the key goals. In short: a compact camera is reasonable, but prioritize a support system that lets you shoot straight down securely and without distortion.