Dried forms of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) with controllable redispersibility in water are provided; lightweight and easily transportable dried acid-form nanocrystalline cellulose which can be resuspended for use in a desired application can be produced by maintaining the humidity content of the NCC within a specific, low, range; evaporated acid-form NCC suspensions with moisture contents below this range are non-dispersible and therefore can be subsequently fixed in permanently dried form; the second form is produced by exchanging the proton of the acid-form NCC for neutral monovalent counterions and freeze-drying the NCC to give a solid product which rapidly disperses when placed in water; properties similar to those of the original suspension are also obtained with a brief sonication treatment.