SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. — A Solano County librarian and popular social media influencer announced he’s resigning from his position, effective Monday, to focus on his mental health.
Mychal Threets, a librarian of more than 10 years at the Fairfield Civic Center Library in Solano County, gained popularity on TikTok and other social media for posting his positive stories and interactions with those in the library.
Posting online to his near 2 million combined followers, Threets said his decision was made only for his health and not due to "people who resort to darkness as they pursue their light." Or as his followers are calling them: internet trolls and bullies.
Threets was one of the American Library Association’s "I Love My Librarian Award for Outstanding Public Service" awardees in 2023.
"(He) has become one of the most recognizable librarians on social media with his viral videos of heartwarming library stories," said the award announcement press release. "He uses his megaphone to share words of encouragement to readers or those struggling with mental health, muses about his love of books, and spreads awareness about the positive impact of libraries on their communities."
As for what’s next? Threets said he’d like to take on extra help and sub-library positions in the Bay Area while taking his passion to a wider audience.
"I'm hoping to fight for literacy. There's so much going on across the nation — across the world — that is impacting libraries, and I want to support them as much as I'm able to — worldwide, nationwide, going before Congress, letting them know how much libraries need funding, deserve funding," said Threets in a video posted to social media. "Funding libraries is funding the community, funding our togetherness, our unity, making us better people, starting as library kids and library grown-ups."
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He is also starting what he calls the "Library Afro Revolution" with the goal to "gift books to library kids to make them feel seen and encourage the necessity of literacy," according to a GoFundMe raising money in support of the project. The page has already raised $19,000 for the idea.
It’s unclear if his resignation will interfere with his recent announcement about becoming PBS’s resident librarian for a social media series.
Read more about what resources libraries in Solano County offer here.
