Microsoft is shutting down its employee libraries in Redmond, Hyderabad, Beijing, and Dublin this week, ending a decades-old perk that gave workers access to physical books, author events, and curated reading lists—including titles personally recommended by CEO Satya Nadella.The company is replacing the libraries with what it calls an “AI-powered learning experience” through its Skilling Hub. According to The Verge, the transition also eliminates employee subscriptions to major news outlets and industry publications that staff have used for research and professional development.
Microsoft cancels employees’ subscriptions to news outlets and business books
The library overhaul means Microsoft employees are losing access to digital publications like The Information and Strategic News Service (SNS), which had served the company’s roughly 220,000 employees for over 20 years. Workers can no longer digitally check out business books from the Microsoft Library either. Publishers received automated emails in November notifying them of contract cancellations. “This correspondence serves as official notification that Microsoft will not renew any existing contracts upon their respective expiration dates,” read one such message from Microsoft’s vendor management team. In an internal FAQ, the company acknowledged “this change affects a space many people valued” but framed it as progress toward a “more modern, connected learning experience.” Microsoft says it still offers access to more than 20 digital resources, though it’s unclear which specific subscriptions survived the cuts
From books that sank buildings to AI learning
The Microsoft Library has been part of campus lore for years. An unproven legend claims the collection’s sheer weight once caused Building 4 to sink when it was housed on the second floor above a cafeteria. Veteran Windows developer Raymond Chen wrote in 2020 that while the sinking might be debatable, “everyone agreed that the pillars in the underground parking were starting to crack.” TThe library later moved to Building 92, which is now being repurposed into collaborative spaces for “group learning and experimentation” with emerging technologies. Former Windows president Steven Sinofsky called the library “a crown jewel of the early days” on X, noting they bought every PC book and would acquire any title employees needed. Strategic News Service didn’t hold back its criticism of the AI pivot. “Technology’s future is shaped by flows of power, money, innovation, and people—none of which are predictable based on LLMs’ probabilistic regurgitation of old information,” said SNS chief operating officer Berit Anderson.
