Mychal Threets announced plans to check himself into the hospital in a candid Threads post.
“I am not okay. Maybe I’ll never be okay. I’m seeking help,” the 36-year-old wrote on Threads on Monday. “Going to the hospital tomorrow. In this moment I am safe. By God’s grace.”
Threets told his followers that “no matter what happens to me I will always be thankful for the extraordinary people in my life who worry, who help me,” He added, “Thank you for your care. I will always love you 💚.”
The post drew an immediate outpouring of support from fans and fellow celebrities. Actress Yvette Nicole Brown told Threets, “If you need the help, maybe go tonight, friend.” One fan replied, “Mychal, please get the help that you need because this world is a better place because you’re in it,” Another wrote, “You are loved. Hope you find gentle healing and renewal.” A different fan told Threets they “will be waiting in the library for you to return from your battle.”
The announcement came just one day after Threets had posted an encouraging message on Threads. On Sunday, he shared a selfie and wrote, “Nobody important?! Blimey, that’s amazing. D’you know, in 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important before,” He continued, “You ARE important. Can’t wait for you to discover it for yourself. Please stay to find out. The world is not easy, but the world is best with you in it.”
Threets has built a massive following as “Mychal the Librarian,” amassing over 2 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. He began posting library stories during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 while working as a supervising librarian in Solano County, California. His joyful advocacy for literacy and mental health awareness went viral in 2023, leading to his selection as the host of the “Reading Rainbow” reboot on YouTube in 2025.
In January, Threets opened up to People about navigating mental health struggles while in the spotlight. “I’m still a very introverted person,” he said. “I think because of what’s happened in life, I’ve become more extroverted. I’ve been more comfortable talking about the library, talking about library stories, talking about mental health, just because I love it all,” He added, “But had I known all this was going to happen, I probably would’ve never started posting.”
Threets also admitted that while he still has “hard days” and would “much rather be behind the scenes,” he’s grateful his career has allowed him to be “a narrator of library joy,” He said that if not for his books, family, friends and libraries, “I wouldn’t be here today.”
In the viral moment that launched his broader fame, Threets shared a TikTok video in 2023 about a child whose grandparent was worried about library fines. The clip resonated widely and helped establish his signature blend of library advocacy and emotional openness. He has since spoken extensively about his own mental health journey, including his struggles with depression and anxiety, and has used his platform to encourage others to seek help.
Threets’ book, “I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy,” was published earlier this year by Random House Books for Young Readers. He was also named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential creators in 2025 and is scheduled to deliver the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s 2026 Convocation address on May 27.
Threets left his library position in 2024 after what he described as burnout from an intense period that included writing 170 incident reports in about fourteen months. He has spoken about receiving threats to his life while working and the toll that frontline library work took on his mental health. Despite these challenges, he has consistently emphasized the importance of libraries as “third spaces” and safe havens for communities.
Threets is set to deliver the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Convocation address in Cambridge, Massachusetts.