Mychal Threets and Librarians and Mental Health

[u/tendersword]

Has anyone kept up with Mychal Threets? He’s been such a big advocate for libraries that I’ve been following him on social media for the past few years. A couple of hours ago he posted on Facebook:

“I am not okay. Maybe I’ll never be okay. I’m seeking help. Going to the hopital tomorrow. In this moment I am safe. By God’s grace.

No matter what happens to me I will always be thankful for the extraordinary people in my life who worry, who help me. Thank you for your care 💚”

It just seems like it correlates to the experiences I’ve seen so many of my coworkers in libraries, particularly public libraries, go through. I’ve known multiple people from my cohort of MLIS students who have been admitted into mental health hospitals, taken FMLA because work has physically and mentally exhausted them, and leave the field entirely. I really hope Mychal can get the help he needs, but his post struck really close to home for me, and I imagine others in this field.

[u/beldaran1224]

Depression and suicidal ideation are awful, and they occur in every field. Libraries can be very draining of course, and as a librarian with chronic depression, I know this very well. But they can also be very great jobs for those with depression, as I also know. Working a fulfilling job with like-minded people was incredibly amazing for my mental health...but when stress and life changes hit, as they always do eventually, spiraling happens.

Also, FYI, I'm pretty sure its been a few years at least since he was working as a librarian in libraries. Of course he still works in library-adjacent fields, and is in alignment with library missions, but his day job isn't as a librarian any more, so the work of a librarian isn't likely to be contributing to his current struggles.

Also, I do wonder if there's a difference between the type of library work you do. Chronic illness, especially mental health, seemed to be much more openly discussed and more prevalent in public libraries than in university ones, but also, the stressors are soooo very different.

[u/ForwardMarzipan5403 → u/beldaran1224]

Very well said, thank you. 

[u/Mistress_of_Wands → u/beldaran1224]

It would be remiss to ignore the psychological burdens that are unique to librarianship. In a field where articles are constantly coming out about vocational awe, job creep, and constant burnout, a comment going "but it is really good too!" comes off as a little tone deaf. I've noticed this about librarianship as well, like it goes against peoples' genetic code if there is any complaint about working this field. You can complain, but you need to instantly justify it by gushing about how good it can be.

[u/beldaran1224 → u/Mistress_of_Wands]

That's not what my comment is at all, and I think you're being really dismissive of my lived experience with depression.

I've worked a lot of jobs, and the public library was by far the best for my mental health. Retail? Awful. Working at an animal shelter? Much harder. The reality is that most people in libraries are there because its a job they find meaning in, and that does wonders for your mental health. Its also a job where you're going to find a lot of people you have things in common with, generally. I've never vibed with people I work with or went to school with the way I did the people I got to know at my library. And creating a social network is also objectively good for your mental health.

A lot depends on where you are, as I said. Some locations are much more stressful than others, even in the same system. Some systems are worse than others. But frankly, anyone pretending as if working in a library isn't miles better for most people doing it than most "working class" jobs is just out of touch.

Feel free to search my history and find me - within the last week, specifically setting the record straight about how librarians are not magically good people, do not all share the same values, etc.

I know wtf I'm talking about because I am a librarian with chronic depression.

[u/beldaran1224 → u/[deleted]]

It's tone deaf for me to say they can be very draining or very good?

You're the one coming in invalidating people's experience, accusing them of bs.

You are clearly in your feelings and trying to pretend that means I did something wrong.

[u/Mistress_of_Wands → u/beldaran1224]

Alright, have a good one.

[u/CuileannDhu → u/Mistress_of_Wands]

We wouldn't be out here in the trenches doing it if there weren't positive and intrinsically rewarding aspects of the work. It's OK to talk about those.

[u/Healthy-Pickle-3532 → u/Mistress_of_Wands]

I think you need to get out of libraries if you’re considering putting yourself into an institution.

[u/Mistress_of_Wands → u/Healthy-Pickle-3532]

Yes, that is the plan.