There's the bowing shelf, the box in the hall that's quietly become furniture, and the stack beside the bed that now needs its own planning permission. The books aren't the problem, obviously the architecture has failed to keep pace with your reading. The good news: those books can become space, cash, or your next read.

Bring 20 books or fewer to the Secondhand desk at Chapters Bookstore, Parnell Street, any day 10am–5pm no appointment needed and leave with cash or (higher) store credit. More than 20, or prefer to post them? Book in or trade online across Ireland.

Bring your books to Chapters on Parnell Street

If you want to sell books in Dublin, bring them to Chapters Bookstore, Ivy Exchange, Parnell Street, Dublin 1, D01 P8C2. For 20 books or fewer, you don't need an appointment just call to the Secondhand desk any day between 10am and 5pm. Our booksellers will assess them on the spot, and you can leave with cash or store credit (and you'll always be offered more in credit).

Bringing more than 20?

Email secondhand@chapters.ie to book in. Someone from the Secondhand team will call to arrange a time, so there's a bookseller free to give your collection a proper assessment and you're not left waiting.

What books does Chapters buy?

Chapters has bought and sold secondhand books for more than four decades. Much of our range comes straight from readers which is exactly why the selection is so eclectic and, frankly, incomparable. We consider:

  • Fiction and children's books
  • Non-fiction across history, biography, current affairs, art, cookery, music, nature and more

Demand and current stock shape what we can take, and our Secondhand team makes the final call once they've seen the edition and condition.

What condition do books need to be in?

A simple test: would you be happy to buy this copy yourself? Books should be complete, clean and saleable.

  • Usually fine - A bumped corner, general light wear, a small price sticker
  • Not saleable: Water damage, mould, missing pages, extensive writing, serious staining or a broken spine

Age alone isn't a fault an older edition may be collectable, or simply the version someone's been hunting for. Equally, a recent hardback isn't automatically valuable if demand is low. Condition, edition, demand and current stock all count.

Cash or store credit: which is worth more?

In store, the choice is yours — but store credit is always worth more than the cash offer. There's no single rate; every offer depends on the book. And if you're clearing space only to fill it again (as is traditional), credit goes a good deal further.

Trade a Chapters secondhand book back for 50%

Buy a secondhand book from Chapters, and when you trade it back in saleable condition, it holds 50% of what you paid as store credit. Read it, return it when you're done, and half its value stays with you.

It's not a strict one-in, one-out rule we're booksellers, not monsters. It simply keeps books moving and stretches your reading budget. We're readers too; we understand both the constraints and the temptation.

Purple stickers: try a new book, get 50% back

Look for a purple trade-back sticker on selected new books at the front of the store. Keep the sticker attached, hold onto your receipt, and return the book within 30 days in good saleable condition to get 50% of the purchase price back in store credit. This offer is store-credit only, and we may decline a copy that's no longer saleable.

It's made for experimenting: try a new author or genre, or finally give in to the book whose cover has been making unreasonable demands of you. If it doesn't earn a permanent place on the shelf, it can help pay for the next one.

How does an in-store trade-in work?

  • Bring your books in - Any day, 10am to 5pm book ahead if you've more than 20.
  • We assess each copy - The team weighs up condition, edition, demand and the stock already on hand.
  • You receive an offer - We'll tell you what we can take, with a choice of cash or the higher store-credit amount.
  • You choose what suits - Take the cash, take the credit, and take home anything we can't use then try to cross the shop without finding another book. We wish you well.

How to trade in books online (anywhere in Ireland)?

You don't need to come to Dublin. Our online trade-in service covers more than 100,000 eligible books across the Republic of Ireland. It pays out as store credit via a digital Chapters gift card there's no online cash option, and online and in-store valuations can differ.

  • Search by ISBN. Enter the 13-digit ISBN beneath the barcode (usually starting 978 or 979). If the book's eligible, a black 'Trade In Now' button appears.
  • Choose the condition and check the quote. Select Good, Very Good or Like New, add it to your trade-in basket and review the total. Quotes are valid for 14 days.
  • Print the shipping label. Postage is free when you trade in five or more books; standard rates apply for fewer than five.
  • Pack and send. Use a sturdy box or padded envelope, write the trade-in order number on the outside, attach the label and drop it at an An Post office.
  • Receive your credit. We inspect the books on arrival and email you the result. Once approved, your digital Chapters gift card follows quickly.

One note: describe condition accurately. If a book arrives in a different state than described, the team will be in touch, and return postage is at the customer's cost. Multiple copies of the same title aren't accepted online.

Why trade in instead of throwing books away?

Trading books keeps them in circulation, cuts waste and gives another reader the chance to find them. It also turns an overfull shelf into cash or, more temptingly, your next round of reading. Read more about why buying secondhand saves more than money.

Donating supports a good cause, and private sales can suit rare books if you've the time to research and manage buyers. Chapters trade-in is built for ease: one assessment, one offer, and a very large bookshop in which to spend the credit.

Bring your books to Chapters

In store: Chapters Bookstore, Ivy Exchange, Parnell Street, Dublin 1, D01 P8C2. Trade in from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Walk in with 20 or fewer; email secondhand@chapters.ie for more.

Online: Visit keatsandchapman.info/collections/trade-in-now, search by ISBN and turn the books you have finished into store credit for the books you have not met yet.

Frequently asked questions

1) Are old books worth anything?

They can be. Value depends on condition, edition, demand and what we already have, not simply age. Bring the book in for an in-store assessment or check its ISBN through the online trade-in page.

2) Are hardbacks worth more than paperbacks?

Sometimes, but not automatically. A desirable edition in excellent condition may attract a stronger offer, while an unwanted hardback may be worth less than an in-demand paperback.

3) Can I trade in books I bought somewhere else?

Yes. Chapters buys suitable books regardless of where you bought them. The special 50% store-credit value applies to secondhand books bought from Chapters and to qualifying purple-sticker new books returned under the offer terms.

4) Do I need an appointment?

Not for 20 books or fewer. Come to the secondhand counter from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. For more than 20 books, email secondhand@chapters.ie to arrange a time.