Mychal Threets, supervising librarian at the Fairfield Civic Center Library in Solano County, California and Tiktoker promoting the many uses of the library, announced that he’s leaving his job to prioritize his mental health.
Threets’ videos and impact have earned him recent profiles in the Chronicle, the New York Times and the Washington Post and most importantly a beloved fan base ready to go to bat for him.
Last year, he was even one of 10 recipients of a prestigious librarian award for public service from the American Library Association.
“This is a place where I’ve always felt safe, where I’ve always felt like I belong,” he said in his resignation video referencing the Solano library. “I went from library kid to being in charge of the library I grew up in. I am leaving to prioritize my mental health, to work with my mental health check-in team.”
Mental health is one of the things Threets has long championed in his many videos along with positivity, the resources available at the library and general literacy.
While he revealed in another video that he has pre-existing mental health issues such as PTSD, depression and anxiety, it’s not far-fetched to believe some of the added pressures of social media forced his hand.
X, formerly known as Twitter, had much to say when they found out about the librarian’s resignation. Though there were comments of sadness and support, others brought attention to the times people have turned on the 33-year-old.
The Washington Post’s feature details some of the insults Threets has received over the past few months including criticism of his clothes, voice, and mannerisms.
“It made me feel very horrible,” he said, to the Post, especially noting a comment that said he could be a danger to children. “That was what I was really saddened by.”
More recently, one of his library-centric tweets was retweeted by a user who claimed the librarian had a dark vibe and that she doesn’t “trust him.”
Threets responded to these claims in a video and said, “What you’re seeing, the darkness in me, are mental health struggles. I am struggling, I am on the struggle bus.”
His large platform of over 1.5 million followers across TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, has consistently defended him against attacks on his character and willingness to uplift the library. They’ve also shared in his “library joy.”
One user on TikTok commented, “Your message has helped my local library choose to stop charging library fees. You are making an impact, you should feel proud to be choosing to take time for your mental health. You matter.”
Another on X noted, “Beyond confused why anyone would want to be cruel and hateful to someone simply trying to bring more joy and light to the world while stressing the importance of literacy and expanding kids’ minds. If you ever said anything mean/hateful about him, you’re what’s wrong with the world.”
Threets’ last day at Fairfield Civic Center Library is March 1 and will continue to fight for literacy across the country by going before Congress to defend funding and opportunities for libraries.