How much could Microsoft save by cutting back on employee books purchase?

Not significant. Even if it is, it is not worth it since creative and fun workplaces motivate its employees and foster broadening their knowledge and not hinder it in anyway. I have read on the web about how

Every Pixar employee, for example, can take acting or cooking classes and get the occasional on-site massage.

or how Google motivates its employees by (from here)

Creating a fun and inspiring workspace that includes on-site doctor and dentist; massage and yoga; professional development opportunities; on-site day care; shoreline running trails; and plenty of snacks to get you through the day.

Microsoft has some of it too. But then why am I bitching about it? Here is the scoop:
There is a new policy in our org about employee book purchases. The book request now goes up the command chain for approval. I thought that was a good idea (Because, I know one person who ordered Age of Empires strategy guide through MS Market through his cost center??!!) until I requested one. My manager stopped by and asked me the following questions:

• Why do I need this book now as I am not doing anything related to it now?
• Did I check with other people in the team on whether they would recommend the book?
• Why couldn't I get this book from the library?

and started telling me on how he learns on the job blah blah blah! That conversation certainly didn't make me feel very good at that moment. It is not like I order few books a month. I probably do couple a year (maybe 5 a year). I started to ask myself afterwards whether I am not allowed to read and learn about something that is related to my work and broaden my knowledge (After all I do not want to be a code monkey and do what they tell me to do)? The funny thing is that I will be doing some work in managed code in near future and thought it would be a good idea to have a head start now.

Well, sometimes things go too far and you just have to decide for yourself whether it is the right place for you to be.