“I love libraries. I owe libraries everything. I’m alive today because of library people.”
Mychal Threets (MLIS ’18) is a librarian, author, and the new host of Reading Rainbow.
Long before he became a viral voice for libraries – before the TikTok followers, national speaking tours and hosting the reboot of Reading Rainbow – Mychal Threets was your quintessential library kid.
Homeschooled throughout his youth, Threets spent much of his childhood in public libraries — a constant, comforting presence that shaped his sense of belonging. “Libraries were always a home away from home,” he says. “For me, that’s ultimately what led to me choosing libraries as a career, as a pathway.”
His professional path into librarianship began as a shelver for his local library in Solano County, CA, where he continued to work while earning his MLIS from San Jose State with a concentration in Youth Services. He knew from early in his career that he wanted to work with kids, and also that he enjoyed doing library outreach. Through his work, he strove to raise awareness about library programs and instill in young people the same sense of safety and possibility that libraries had given him.
An Online Champion for Libraries
Threets is widely known for his personal TikToks, which he started filming during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, but he had been doing social media and online marketing for his library long before that. His skills were crucial for raising public awareness about the library services still available during the lockdown. The community “didn’t know that we had musical instrument collections, board game collections, video game collections – all these things to help them with their loneliness, with the isolation.”
Spreading the word about libraries quickly spilled over from his professional world and into his personal TikTok account, where he began posting regularly about literacy, books, library resources and finding community through a love of reading.
Threets always viewed social media more as a tool for library workers than a replacement or substitute for library spaces. Whether posting on his own account or on behalf of the library, “going viral is not the point,” he stresses. “The point is to get the information out there,” and encourage the community to come to the library and engage with library programs.
Advocating for Literacy and Freedom to Read
Threets’ enthusiasm for libraries and passion for celebrating the LIS community motivate his work as a vocal advocate for libraries and the people who keep them running. From championing library services on social media to speaking out against book bans, Threets uses his platform to defend the freedom to read — and to remind the public that libraries are for everyone.
“I get to talk to New York Library people, Arkansas Library people, Texas Library people, Florida Library people, and on and on, and just amplify the wonderful things that they’re doing,” he says.
From his time as a librarian to his new role on TV, Threets has always loved working with youth.
The Joy of Working with Kids
Even as his advocacy work and public profile have expanded, Threets has never forgotten his first passion: working with youth. “Once a children’s librarian, always a children’s librarian,” he says.
Remembering his years working with young children, Threets insists that “I learned from those library kids way more than they ever learned from me.” Children’s openness—the way they name what they feel and find comfort in doing so—reminds him that libraries are spaces where emotions, questions, and wonder all belong. “Kids still have their worries and struggles, but they’re not jaded like adults. They notice the little things”
During storytimes, which he hosted several times a week, Threets encouraged participation and curiosity by allowing kids to interrupt and ask questions – even if he was in the middle of reading. “If a kid wants to engage, it means they’re paying attention. It means they’re interested,” he explains. “Let’s embrace that.”
Bringing His Worlds Together – Reading Rainbow and Beyond
As the new host of Reading Rainbow, Threets has the opportunity to share and combine his passions on a national stage. The show is an incredible platform for simultaneously teaching key literacy skills, demystifying the library experience, and engaging young audiences with important issues such as intellectual freedom and equity.
His experience as a youth librarian has taught him not to shy away from engaging kids in big and sometimes heavy topics. In fact, some of the most inspiring activists he has met have been kids: “I’ve been on panels with kids talking about banned books [and] fighting for their right to read,” he shares. “They’re just so powerful, and they care so much. […] kids are spreading the word. They’re telling their classmates” to fight censorship.
Threets is also excited for the upcoming release of his picture book, “I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy” (Random House, 2026), illustrated by Lorraine Nam. One of several book projects in the works, the story centers on the bond between a young kid and a friendly, welcoming librarian, teaching kids practical skills such as how to get a library card while also encouraging a love of books and reading.
Advice for Early Career Librarians
To current MLIS students, Threets offers practical advice to get their start in the LIS field. While finding one’s professional footing can be trying, Threets reminds students that the only place to start is at the beginning: by getting a foot in the door through an entry-level job or volunteer work. Not only can this open doors to opportunities for progressing up the ranks of library work, it is also an invaluable learning time and a chance to explore different interest areas.
As an iSchool alum, Threets also speaks directly to the student experience – Although he himself sped through the Master’s program, he advises other students not to follow his lead but rather to concentrate on using their time in school to focus on enjoying their learning and making strong connections with their peers.
“Library people are always reliant on one another,” he says – and school is a crucial time to start building those relationships.
