A librarian who shared his journey with his job on TikTok has announced his resignation to prioritize his mental health. Mychal Threets amassed a large following of over 740,000 people on the platform through his reading advocacy work with the Solano County Library in California.
Threets spoke about his departure in a video posted Feb. 24, expressing his love and gratitude for the library that was instrumental to his upbringing.
@mychal3ts Dear @Solano County Library, Solano County library kids, Solano County library grown-ups… thank you for introducing me to library joy and book joy 💚📚🫶🏽 #BookTok #LibraryTikTok #Storytime ♬ original sound – mychal
“Dear Solano County Library, I just want thank you. Thank you for raising me as a homeschooled library kid,” the TikToker began. “This is the place where I’ve always felt safe…I went from library kid to being in charge of the library where I grew up in. It has been the honor of my life.”
He informed his community that while he is taking a break for his own wellbeing, his work promoting libraries lives on.
“I am leaving to prioritize my mental health, to work with my mental health check-in team,” he shared.
“But I’m hoping to make you so very proud. I’m hoping to fight for literary. There’s so much going on across the nation, across the world, that are impacting libraries, and I want to support them as much as I’m able to…Funding libraries is funding the community.”The news comes as Black people are more impacted by mental health struggles, especially endured in the workplace, previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE. According to Mental Health America, 16% of Black Americans reported having a mental illness in the past year. Suicide is the also the third-leading cause of death for Black
people from the ages of 15 to 24, per the U.S. Office of Minority Health. With these statistics in mind, the prioritization of mental health for Black individuals is a growing need that Threets is helping destigmatize.He posted again on TikTok to address negative comments impacting his decision, yet urged his supporters to not attack those who left hurtful statements. He revealed that he has struggled with his mental health since childhood, but remains committed to his passion for literacy and libraries despite his professional break.
“I will always be a librarian,” Threets emphasized. “Prioritizing my mental health
will look like being with my family, my friends, my mental health check-in team, meeting with my therapist, advocating for literacy for all, emphasizing the Library Afro Revolution with Blair Imani, pursuing life joy, book joy, [and] library joy as often as I can. “RELATED CONTENT: Kate Spade New York Expands Mental Health Partnership With Taraji P. Henson