Viral Solano County librarian announces resignation to prioritize mental health

(FOX40.COM) — A Northern California librarian who amassed a large social media following by sharing videos that were filled with positivity and uplifting messages recently announced that he’ll be leaving his position in March to prioritize his mental health.

Librarian Mychal Threets is resigning from his position at the Solano County Public Library to prioritize his mental health, according to a video posted to his Instagram page on Friday.

“Dear Solano County Library, I just want to say thank you,” Threets said in his video. “Thank you for raising me as a homeschooled library kid, [the Solano County Library] is a place where I’ve always felt safe, where I’ve always felt where I belong.”

Threets, who has over 1.4 million followers between his Instagram and TikTok accounts, has said in a previous video that he experiences mental health struggles, specifically saying that he struggles with, “anxiety, PTSD, depression, panic disorder and nightmare disorder.”

In that video, Threets maintains a smile on his face as he tells people that he is on the “struggle bus” with them and that anyone watching the video is not alone in their struggles. He finishes the video by extending an invitation to the local library so that people with similar struggles can “speak with some of the kindest, most empathetic, genuine people you will ever meet.”

Threets says that his time as a librarian may be over for now, but he didn’t rule out a return to the Solano County Library in the future. He said that while he takes time to focus on his mental health, he will also be fighting for literacy by going before Congress and advocating for library funding throughout the country.

“Funding libraries is funding the community. [It] funds togetherness, unity and makes us better people,” Threets concludes.