Conflict Management for Libraries

I just finished Conflict Management for Libraries: Strategies for a positive productive workplace. What? Conflict in libraries? We all know that libraries are quiet peaceful places where everyone has plenty of time to read their favorite high brow books, right? There cannot possibly be dissonance and discord in libraries. Wrong! Wrong! and WRONG! Libraries are staffed by people and people naturally have problems.
The book is set up in 3 parts. Part one sets the stage and identifies the purpose. Part two, the bulk of the book, is Stories from the Trenches, scenarios that have been culled from a survey the authors conducted. After each scenario, two management professionals and the authors assess each situation. What I learned from part two is that I have a wonderful staff with few problems. I don't have to deal with angry outbursts, I don't have to deal with substance abuse, I don't have to deal with problem employees in general. But then I probably used up my quota of problem employees when I had to deal with angry guy. Now, I have the support of my administrators to ensure that problem employees don't infect the rest of the staff with their toxicity. I really and truly have it good.
What I would like to have seen was more scenarios that were specific to larger systems like mine. The scenarios were spread out through different size systems both public and academic.
Part Three gives some hints on Managing Conflict before it Manages You. For me this is the most valuable part of the book. The book stresses that management is often an afterthought in libraries and library Master's programs. In regards to management the often repeated questions is "What does this have to do with being a librarian?" Somehow libraries have survived without stressing the answer "Everything" to this question. We manage everyday. We manage our public, our employees, our materials and our equipment everyday. And since the flood gates were opened about 30 years ago --when our focus changed from protecting the written word to providing outstanding service to our customers--librarianship has been struggling to catch up with the rest of the business world. Many librarians continue with their head in the sand but that in my opinion is just adding a nail to your professional coffin. Me, personally, I want all the tools I can acquire in my management tool bag. It makes my life so much easier.
This book is the first step of completing one of my personal goals on reading 12 professional development books in the next year. I also asked my administrator if I could present book talks each month at our monthly manager meetings. I figure that accountability will keep me on track. She has to get approval but probably I can.