Reports: Microsoft is Closing Its Employee Library and Cutting Back on Subscriptions

From The Verge:

Microsoft’s library of books is so heavy that it once caused a campus building to sink, according to an unproven legend among employees. Now those physical books, journals, and reports, and many of Microsoft’s digital subscriptions to leading US newspapers, are disappearing in a shift described inside Microsoft as an “AI-powered learning experience.”

Microsoft started cutting back on its employee subscriptions to news and reports services in November, with some publishers receiving an automated email cancellation of a contract. “This correspondence serves as official notification that Microsoft will not renew any existing contracts upon their respective expiration dates,” reads an email from Microsoft’s vendor management team. “We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation for your partnership, collaboration, and continued support throughout our engagement.”

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Microsoft is now in the middle of transitioning from its library to whatever this “AI-powered learning experience” is.

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More From Geekwire:

Responding to an inquiry from GeekWire, the company confirmed that its libraries in Redmond, Hyderabad, Beijing, and Dublin closed as of this week and “are being repurposed into collaborative spaces for group learning and experimentation,” where employees can explore emerging technologies.

“We’re evolving Microsoft Library locations and services to better support how employees learn, stay current, and build new skills,” a Microsoft spokesperson said via email. The changes are already underway and will roll out fully in the coming weeks, according to the company.

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