Microsoft to Shut Down Book Scan Ops

Completing our trifecta of Microsoft coverage today, the Associated Press reports that Microsoft is abandoning its effort to scan whole libraries and make their contents searchable—which the report calls a sign it may be getting choosier about the fights it will pick with Google.

“Digitizing books and archiving academic journals no longer fits with the company’s plan for its search operation,” wrote Satya Nadella, senior vice president of Microsoft’s search and advertising group, in a blog post Friday.

“We believe the next generation of search is about the development of an underlying, sustainable business model for the search engine, consumer and content partner,” Nadella wrote in the post.

Microsoft will take down two separate sites for searching the contents of books and academic journals this week, and Live Search will direct Web surfers looking for books to non-Microsoft sites, the company said in a statement.

Join Baratunde Thurston (left), The Onion’s Director of Digital and author of How to Be Black, for an entertaining look at creative social media campaigns in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. Other speakers include Morin Oluwole (Facebook), Tim Devane (bitly), and SocialTimes' writer Devon Glenn.   Register now.