By Williamena Kwapo | OBSERVER Staff Writer
LINCOLN – Children, parents, community members, and fans gathered at Lincoln Public Library on May 10, to meet PBS resident librarian Mychal Threets, also known online as the “Library Guy.”
Threets headlined an event that was more than just a meet-and-greet; it was a powerful testament to resilience, vulnerability, and the importance of mental health.
The event was in partnership with California’s Live Beyond campaign, as well as the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. The Live Beyond campaign was launched last year by the state surgeon general’s office and aims to increase awareness and understanding of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), toxic stress, and their potential impacts, providing science-based, healing-centered resources for all Californians. Threets works with the campaign to transform how Californians talk about mental wellness.
“For so long, mental health conversations were never had by any of us,” he explained. “Now we’re saying it’s OK to not be OK. You are not alone.”
Threets became everyone’s favorite librarian after rising to TikTok fame for sharing stories and promoting libraries as welcoming spaces for learning and growth. What started as heartfelt and often humorous glimpses into the daily life of a library worker in Northern California blossomed into a significant online presence. Through short, engaging videos, he offered glimpses of quirky library happenings, book recommendations, and candid reflections on anxiety, self-care, and the importance of seeking help.
His personal journey is at the heart of the campaign. Threets openly discusses his mental health struggles, from childhood anxiety to moments of deep despair and, more recently in 2024, when he announced that he would quit his library job.
“Almost a little over a year ago, I wanted to leave the world,” he said. “I wasn’t able to take care of myself, and by not taking care of myself, I thought I was doing a disservice to the library people. So I took a step back.”
Now, he is leveraging his platform and new role as a PBS resident librarian. In this role, he partners with the network to produce social media videos surrounding literacy and books. Threets has made guest appearances with popular characters such as Arthur to talk about library cards.
He also has a podcast, “Thoughts About Feelings,” which he hosts with his friend Blair Imani Ali. The two use this platform to amplify crucial conversations around mental well-being and to help children, youth, and adults like himself, a focus that aligns well with the Live Beyond campaign.
The Live Beyond campaign’s research highlights a stark reality: while 6-in-10 young people and their caregivers in California have experienced at least one ACE, awareness of the term and its implications remains alarmingly low; only 12% of youth and 10% of parents/caregivers are familiar with ACEs.
To combat this, the campaign also works closely with young ambassadors such as Jazmine Kingston. Kingston, 23, has worked with Live Beyond since August. She is passionate about mental health, having struggled with it and found relief through therapy. Her advice to young people such as herself is not to put too much pressure on themselves.
“I used to pressure myself about graduating by a certain year, getting a specific job, or having a certain number of friends. That wasn’t realistic, and it actually made things worse when I wasn’t meeting those goals. So just be kind to yourself and take it easy,” she said.
Threets shared the same sentiments as he acknowledged the importance of taking care of your mental health. “We’re on a path to get OK, to live beyond, to make it to the next day,” he said.
Threets lives in Fairfield and can be found on various social media platforms.To get involved with the Live Beyond campaign, visit livebeyondca.org.