What to Do With Old Dictionaries

Most old dictionaries have little or no resale value and are rejected by thrift stores and libraries — but you don't have to throw them away. I accept dictionaries of every kind and condition in Albuquerque, with free pickup for heavy unabridged volumes, and recycle responsibly only what truly can't be reused. If you've inherited a massive Webster's on a stand, or a shelf of collegiate dictionaries nobody opens anymore, here's exactly what to do with them.

Published June 2026 · By Josh Eldred, New Mexico Literacy Project · Free pickup: 702-496-4214

The hard truth about dictionary values

Dictionaries are among the most common books ever printed, and the internet made most of them obsolete overnight. A desk dictionary, a collegiate Webster's or Merriam-Webster, a 1980s unabridged on a library stand — these have essentially no resale value, no matter how impressive they look. They were printed in the millions, and the used market is saturated to the point that shipping one usually costs more than it's worth.

Which dictionaries actually have value

A few genuinely do, and it's worth knowing the difference before anything leaves your house:

Early American and English dictionaries. A first edition of Noah Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language (1828) is a serious collector item, as is Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language (1755). These are antiquarian books, not the kind that turn up in a normal house — but if you have a genuinely 18th- or 19th-century dictionary, set it aside.

Fine Oxford English Dictionary sets. A complete, clean multi-volume OED (the full set, not the compact two-volume edition with the magnifying glass) holds modest value, especially the earlier printings. The compact editions, though beloved, are common and inexpensive.

Specialized and historical dictionaries. Early bilingual, dialect, slang, or technical dictionaries with genuine scholarly importance can interest specialists. Everything else — the overwhelming majority — is reading-copy material at best.

Why nobody else takes old dictionaries

Call a thrift store or library and you'll usually hear no. The reasons are practical: dictionaries are heavy and expensive to handle, they take up disproportionate shelf space, they almost never sell, and donation-resale operations are ruthless about what earns its keep on a shelf. Reference books in general — dictionaries, encyclopedias, old textbooks — are the first thing most charities turn away. That's exactly the gap this service exists to fill.

I accept every dictionary

Any kind, any condition — desk, collegiate, unabridged, foreign-language, water-stained, cover detached. I take them all. Heavy unabridged volumes and full reference shelves are exactly the kind of thing I'll come pick up for free anywhere in the Albuquerque metro, so you don't have to haul them. Usable copies go back into circulation through classrooms, ESL and literacy programs, and Little Free Libraries; the rest are recycled responsibly. Either way they stay out of the landfill.

Recycling, as a last resort

If a dictionary is mold-damaged or falling apart and you'd rather handle it yourself, paper recycling is the responsible end of the line. Paperbacks usually go straight into curbside paper. For hardbacks, many local programs ask you to remove the rigid cover from the text block first, since the binding boards aren't paper-recyclable. When you're unsure, the simplest answer is to hand it to me — I'd rather reuse a usable book than see it pulped, and I'll recycle only what genuinely has to be.

Frequently asked questions

Are old dictionaries worth anything?

Most 20th-century dictionaries have little to no value. Genuine exceptions are early antiquarian dictionaries (Webster's 1828, Johnson's 1755) and fine complete OED sets.

Does anyone take old dictionaries?

Most thrift stores and libraries won't. I do — any kind, any condition, with free pickup for heavy volumes in Albuquerque. Call or text 702-496-4214.

How do I recycle a dictionary?

Paperbacks go in curbside paper; for hardbacks, separate the cover from the pages first. When in doubt, donate it instead.