Her Story
About Valerie
Valerie Kimble has worked as a librarian since 1977. She earned her Master's in Library Science from the University of Oklahoma, where she was inspired to pursue storytelling after a professor told a story during her children's literature class. Throughout her career, she served as a children's librarian in the public library in Ardmore, Oklahoma, worked in school libraries, and held a position as a special librarian at a community mental health center, where she used storytelling for staff development and occasionally with clients. After retiring from library work, she became more available as a freelance storyteller, performing for audiences of all ages with a focus on adults. She is an active member of library associations and storytelling associations, including the CHOS Storytelling Association in Texas and Territory Tellers in Oklahoma. Kimble participates in conferences, workshops, concerts, story swaps, and other events, specializing in folk tales, literary tales, and personal stories. She advises aspiring storytellers to recognize that everyone is a storyteller, polish a story by telling it at least three times without memorizing it word for word, and create an environment that invites listeners to participate actively.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Valerie
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Everyone who has read a book or seen a movie or heard a story is a storyteller. Find something you want to tell, like a great story you tell at parties. Polish it by telling it at least 3 times. Do not write it down and memorize it for recitation because that limits you and can cause you to hit a wall. Instead, create the story environment and invite listeners to be active participants.
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