Morrison Library Undergraduate Curator: Ashley Taylor

In Fall 2025, a small cohort of UC Berkeley students served as inaugural Undergraduate Curators in a new internship from Morrison Library. They met with Morrison Library staff and visited local bookstores to curate a set of selections for the library’s collection. Interns were tasked with reflecting on their experience and sharing their selected titles. Read on to hear from Ashley Taylor about her experience and see her list of recommendations. Be sure to check out Maya Looney’s recommendations, too. Find your next read by checking out Ashley’s and Maya’s books now on display in Morrison Library!

Undergraduate Curators sit at a table in Morrison Library with Morrison staff discussing the internship and what goes into curating a library collection. — Abby Scheel, right, leads the first meeting of an undergraduate student internship based in Morrison Library on Oct. 14, 2025. Three interns will help select books for the Morrison collection. (Photo by Jami Smith/UC Berkeley Library)

Ashley Taylor

Film and Media, Creative Writing, 2026

Q: Tell us about yourself.

“While I was born in San Diego, CA, I was raised in Mexico before I eventually moved back across the border for my education. English is my second language, and I learned it through books and movies. Since then, I’ve had a passion for sharing book recommendations, including those outside my preferred genres(romance and fantasy), when I worked as a Barnes & Noble Bookseller. I currently run UC Berkeley’s romance book club–Love Stories Book Club– where we’ve built a romance community and host social events for readers of all kinds. After I graduate, I hope to continue by either working directly in the book publishing industry or helping to adapt some of my favorite novels into film or TV.”

Q: How did you experience interning as a curator for Morrison Library?

“As a student who has always relied on libraries when I couldn’t afford new books, this internship was an amazing opportunity to be a part of the book curating process. I’ve always admired the elegant beauty and comfort of Morrison library with it’s range of fiction new releases.

During our first library meeting, we got to meet the staff and learn the history of the library. By far the most interesting part was learning about how they decide which books to keep by keeping track of how many times a title has circulated. Unlike other public libraries, Morrison doesn’t need to have multiple copies of the same book or older titles. Instead they only keep super popular ones like The Goldfinch and are constantly processing newly published books.

Of course the most fun aspect of this internship, was going to the bookstores and buying books! Even though we had a budget, it feel surreal to be able to buy so much. It felt like a book haul but without having to spend my own money. We went to both Moe’s and East Bay Booksellers and had the opportunity to learn the history of each store from the owners themselves.

As someone who worked for a bookstore chain, I have familiarity with the retail aspect of the book industry. Yet I’ve always been curious about how indie bookstores are managed and how they curate their selection of books. Simply put, while they do make an effort to experiment, the booksellers select books that they liked and their customer base enjoys. One common thread I found, was that their success was not only based on how well the booksellers have been able to adapt to an ever-changing environement but also because of their loyal customers. Moe’s has been around for over 60 years and East Bay Booksellers stayed in business even after a devastating fire.

Similarly, when I step into Morrison I often recognize library patrons that come to the library as often as I do. When I started browsing the bookstore shelves I kept those patrons in mind, but I also wanted to draw in some new readers into the library. I felt there was a gap in available romance and romantic fantasy titles. As someone who runs Berkeley’s romance book club, I know there is an audience of students who would appreciate to see more of this genre on the shelves and I endeavored to select such titles. Especially new releases of the past year.

I had fun learning about the curating process of both libraries and indie bookstores, and if there’s one thing I’ll take away from this internship is the importance of knowing your audience. Whether it’s patrons or customers, their taste is what will drive what you’re curating. I’ll keep it in mind in my future bookish career, and I hope I selected titles that will entice UC Berkeley readers!”

Ashley’s Recommendations

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

“If you were perhaps responsible for your graduate advisor’s death and needed his letter of recommendation to continue your academic career, would you journey into Hell with your rival to save him? The perfect read for fans of Dante’s Inferno”

Book cover: The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

(Coming soon!)

“A gothic fantasy breaking down themes of religion, sacrifice, forgotten and rewritten history through the eyes of a young female seer and an agnostic knight. Plus a humorous gargoyle guaranteed to make you cry!”

Funny Story by Emily Henry

“Your fiancé moves you to a whole a new state, only for him to dump you for days before the wedding to be with his girl best friend. The only one more heartbroken is the now ex-boyfriend of the best friend who just so happens to have a spare bedroom.”

Alchemised by SenLinYu

“A dark fantasy about a foreign alchemist caught in the middle of a religious civil war with no memory of the last 2 years, who may possess the last secret of the resistance. A story about the unseen aspects and horror of war, it’s aftermath and the invisible sacrifices of women and immigrants. Check trigger warnings.”

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

“A quirky supernatural romance inspired by Romeo and Juliet between a Vampire and an Alpha Werewolf where humans, vampire, and werewolf governments co-exist, albeit tenuously.”