Every time you think the knuckleheads in this country have sunk as low as they can sink, they find a new sub-basement. Late last week Mychal Threets, Fairfield (California) Civic Center Library’s joyful supervising librarian, announced, via his IG and TikTok accounts, his resignation, effective March 1, to prioritize his mental health.
He didn’t mention the online trolls that helped drive him to this decision—he’s too nice for that, but he did mention some people saw a darkness in him.
“What you are seeing—the darkness in me—are mental health struggles,” he explained on TikTok. “I suffer from anxiety, PTSD, depression, panic disorder and nightmare disorder.” He later also said he didn’t have long in this world and said he was going to take time to deal with his mental health.
And while he never came for the trolls that called social media’s sweetest librarian...’ dark,’ his supporters, and they are legion, have called out the keyboard crazies:
“He got on here with all this positive energy, spreading light … and it triggered you,” said @mycousinamber in a TikTok video.
“It’s a dark day when this beautiful human has been threatened,” said @arbelladmar on Threads.
“The internet is a dark place - these folks don’t wanna see joy and light. They snuff it out at every turn,” said @lisalivewell on Threads.
Also on Threads, @txsciguy posted, “The rage I feel towards those who have caused this is surprising me…”
“Our favorite librarian, Mychal the library guy, is resigning … all because this horrible, nasty, troll-behind person, @Miss_Mojo over on Twitter, made a joke, said he had a dark spirit,” @scholarshipcollegemama shared via a TikTok video that has garnered nearly 36K likes. The TikTok goes on to explain how @Miss_Mojo doubled down on her vicious posts, forcing Threets to compose a denial to her claims.
It wasn’t the first time Threets has advocated for the emotional well-being of everybody through his posts. The Washington Post reported earlier this year about a slate of X posts calling the librarian “weird,” implying he had “developmental delays” and insinuating he might be a danger to children. Threets admitted the posts saddened him but said, “Sometimes the best way to respond to people who level insults is with empathy.”
Fortunately for his fans, Threets most often uses his massive social media presence across IG, TikTok, Threads and X to spread his love for libraries, promote literacy and choose kindness. “It’s cool to see how many people are remembering that the local library exists, taking advantage of all those resources, and trying to make their kids library kids,” he said in an interview with the School Library Journal.
The bright spot in his resignation announcement? Threets doesn’t rule out a return to the Bay Area library scene, and he promises to continue the fight for literacy—both here in the U.S. and worldwide. There’s also a collaboration with PBS Kids on a social media series, something he recently announced on IG . Add to this Threets’ own words, saying libraries are still his sanctuary and thanking his followers for their support while urging us not to go after those cyberbullying him.
Glad he encouraged caution because we were preparing to ride at dawn.
Kendra Lee is a writer based in D.C