> At a Glance
> – Mychal Threets, the TikTok-famous “Mychal the Librarian,” will release his first picture book I’m So Glad You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy on Feb. 3
> – The book champions libraries as safe, inclusive spaces and is illustrated by Lorraine Nam
> – Threets, now hosting the revived Reading Rainbow, says libraries saved his life as a shy, homeschooled kid
> – Why it matters: Combines viral star power with a mental-health-positive message to get kids (and parents) excited about libraries again
Viral literacy advocate Mychal Threets is trading 60-second TikToks for 32 pages of picture-book love. Random House Books for Young Readers will publish his debut, I’m So Glad You’re Here, on February 3, extending the librarian’s mission to hype libraries well beyond social media.
From TikTok Stacks to Story Time
Threets began posting during 2020 pandemic closures from his childhood branch, Fairfield Civic Center Library. Clips celebrating free cards, story hours, and “library joy” exploded in 2023, pushing him past 1 million followers and into a new career.
- Left his full-time library role in 2024
- Named PBS resident librarian the same year
- Became host of the revived Reading Rainbow YouTube series in 2025 alongside guests John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Book Born of Personal Thanks
Threets says the library was “the only place that accepted me” while growing up painfully shy and homeschooled. That refuge fuels the book’s message: everyone belongs among the shelves.
> “If it wasn’t for books, for my family, my friends and libraries… I wouldn’t be here today,” Threets tells News Of Los Angeles.
The picture book follows a child discovering every section-from comics to job resources-and realizing the building holds unlimited second chances.
Tour & Takeaways
Pre-orders are live now; Threets launches the tour in Brooklyn, N.Y. on launch day.
Key Takeaways
- A social-media librarian turns author to cement his “narrator of library joy” brand
- Book argues libraries are mental-health lifelines, not just book warehouses
- Release ties into the new Reading Rainbow episodes, widening reach to parents who grew up on LeVar Burton’s original series
Threets hopes young readers close the book knowing both the library-and they themselves-are worth celebrating every visit.
