Ask Mychal Threets to share a little bit about himself, and he immediately starts talking about libraries.

It's fitting, though, because libraries helped shape who the Fairfield, California, man is today: a walking, fast-talking advocate for books and reading, for the people who serve the public and the places where anyone can feel welcome, safe and valued.

"I was practically raised by libraries," said Threets, a homeschooled child who spent "many days, weeks, months, years in the Solano County Library," then grew up to become the library's director.

"It was where my mom got our curriculum, and where I read about people like me, so we knew about our culture," said Threets, whose mom is Mexican and whose father is Black. He got a bachelor's degree from the University of Phoenix and studied library science at San Jose State − and then found himself back where he'd spent so many hours as a child, asking how he could apply for a job.

Threets loves libraries so much, he's created a thriving social media presence based around them. He has hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X. His high-energy videos extol the virtues of libraries, the people who work in them, the people who utilize them and the books and other resources that can be found within them.

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But Threets talks about weightier topics, too, such as diversity and inclusiveness in books and the need for representation and about mental health and his own struggles.

Librarians are often on the front lines of culture wars over books bans, censorship and what kinds of stories, authors and books belong in public spaces.

"Many of my first book friends were either white characters or animals," Threets said. "There was not a lot of representation, but that's changed a lot. We're seeing ourselves a lot more, and it's a lot less Black characters, and more characters who happen to be Black, or Asian, or Hispanic, or in a wheelchair or LGBTQ+."

His corner of California, sandwiched between San Francisco and Sacramento, is diverse and politically liberal, so Solano County librarians don't wrestle with controversial topics too often. That, though, doesn't dampen his feelings for fellow librarians elsewhere.

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Parents concerned about their child reading materials they're not ready for can talk to their children, read along with them, and have age-appropriate discussions that work for them and their family, he said − but book bans take away that freedom for all families.

"We always fight together," Threets said. "We hear about these things happening all over and we're all in this fight; we're all here to meet this challenge. We all believe everyone has the right to read, and the right to see themselves in that book on the library shelf."

A new chapter with PBS gives kids 'a special spark'

Relentlessly positive, many of his videos and posts still acknowledge the challenges people face. He urges followers to ask for help, to read books to educate and illuminate, to spend time with people and in places that bring them joy or feed their souls.

The need to protect his own mental health was what led him to step down recently from his role with the Solano County Library, though he's hardly idle: He's teamed up with PBS Kids and the Children's Literacy Initiative to promote education, reading and literacy.

"One of Mychal’s strongest gifts is his empathetic storytelling, which aligns perfectly with our work at PBS," said Carolyn MacLeod, PBS Kids' senior manager for social media.

As their new "resident librarian," Threets' online presence and professional expertise line up well with PBS Kids' educational mission, which in turn "creates a space for his personality to come through and give it that special spark," MacLeod said.

The collaboration was driven in large part because fans of both seemed to think it was a natural fit.

"We noticed our audience starting to tag us in Mychal's content (and vice versa) in mid-2023," MacLeod said. She messaged him and they found a lot of common ground. "The importance of literacy, mental health and encouraging a sense of belonging and community."

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A safe place for all to feel welcome

Libraries are meant for anyone and everyone, Threets says: a safe place where people can make human connections without spending a penny. "It's a place where you can talk not just about books, but about movies and music. For some people, it's the only place where they can access a computer and connect to others online."

Especially after the isolation of the pandemic, "we're all suffering and struggling, and I try to help people understand that they're not alone, that other people feel the same way."

He hopes it's good for the people who see him online − and he knows it's good for him. "I never really know who's listening or who needs to hear a particular message on a particular day. So in some ways, it's like I'm talking as much to myself as I am to everyone else."

"Library people," as he calls them, helped Threets through his own difficulties with depression, social anxiety, panic attacks and nightmares, he said. Books offer an escape but also ways to understand other people better; they can build empathy and compassion.

"Mychal is so consistent in his messaging about mental health and the importance of libraries, and that motivates people to action," said Priscilla Williams of the Children's Literacy Initiative, which has partnered with Threets for virtual and in-person events. "He talks a lot about the joy and empathy books can build in kids... He reminds me of LeVar Burton (the actor and literacy activist); his light and his joy just shine through."

Reach Phaedra Trethan at ptrethan@usatoday.com, @wordsbyphaedra on X and @by_phaedra on Threads.

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