Valerie Colston has been teaching Art and Humanities classes at the University level, along with a number of online workshops for librarians including Graphic Design for Librarians, for several years. She has also developed and performed library programs throughout the San Diego and Orange County California areas. She is the author of:
- Graphic Design: A Practical Guide for Librarians, published by Rowman & Littlefield 2019.
- An article in the October 2018 issue of School Library Journal - "Art of Collaboration," which is all about how school librarians collaborate with other teachers and the community.
- 200 Projects to Strengthen Your Art Skills published by Barrons Educational Series, which received outstanding reviews appearing in School Library Journal, National Art Education Association newsletter, and more.
- Her article "It's Easy to be a Green Teen" appeared in the youth librarian publication Voices of Youth Advocates.
- She has also written Teens Go Green! Tips, Techniques, Tools and Themes for YA Programming, Libraries Unlimited Professional guides for Young Adult Librarians Series.
Along with writing and teaching, Valerie Colston is an exhibiting artist.