> At a Glance
> – Viral librarian Mychal Threets calls book bans “a form of evil” in a new News Of Los Angeles interview
> – His picture book I’m So Happy You’re Here arrives Feb. 3
> – PEN America tallied 22,810 banning attempts since 2021
> – Why it matters: Threets argues removing books silences marginalized voices and denies kids the same library refuge that once prevented his suicide
Book-ban battles keep spreading, and former supervising librarian Mychal Threets-better known as “Mychal the Librarian” to 4 million+ social followers-says the trend leaves him “shocked and befuddled.” In an exclusive chat with News Of Los Angeles, the 35-year-old explains why every removed title strikes a personal nerve.
From Shy Kid to Library Evangelist
Homeschooled in Fairfield, Calif., Threets spent childhood afternoons at the Fairfield Civic Center Library-the same branch he later oversaw as supervising librarian. Books offered shelter from crippling anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
> “Library joy is what saved my life and I never know when it’ll save another soul,” he tells News Of Los Angeles.
That mission now fuels his viral videos and his forthcoming children’s title, I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy (Random House, Feb. 3, ages 4-8).
Why He Opposes Every Ban Attempt
Threets sees book removals as erasure:
- Stories lost = voices erased
- Kids blocked = opportunities stolen
- One family’s rules ≠ universal standards
> “If you ban books, you’re banning stories, you’re banning voices. You’re telling certain people that their story, their lives, don’t matter.”
PEN America’s 2025 report backs his urgency, logging 22,810 challenges across 45 states since 2021.
New Chapter Without Censorship
Stepping away from full-time librarianship in 2024 hasn’t softened his stance. Threets now hosts Reading Rainbow and serves as PBS’s resident librarian, platforms he uses to keep library doors-physical and metaphorical-wide open.
> “Perhaps once you know that you belong in the library, then you accept that you belong everywhere.”
Key Takeaways
- Threets credits libraries with literally saving his life amid mental-health struggles
- His debut picture book aims to pass that lifeline to the next generation
- He labels book bans “evil,” citing 22,810+ recent cases
- The advocate wants every reader to find the same unconditional welcome he once felt
As challenges surge nationwide, Threets vows to keep championing stories-and the spaces that house them-for anyone who needs refuge between the pages.
