Inclusive Knowledge Solutions

Transforming Higher Education

Trevor A. Dawes and Russell Michalak

Ready to Transform Your Institution

Transforming Academic Culture

At Inclusive Knowledge Solutions, we are committed to dismantling toxic academic cultures and fostering growth, inclusion, and innovation in higher education. Founded by Trevor A. Dawes and Russell Michalak, our mission is to create equitable and dynamic environments where libraries, leadership, and learning thrive.

We specialize in tailored solutions that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that your institution stays ahead in today’s changing academic landscape.


Our Approach

We believe that academic spaces should be centers of collaboration, knowledge, and respect. Our services empower institutions by:

Enhancing library spaces with cutting-edge tools and strategies.
Developing leaders who can drive positive, lasting change.
Fostering continuous learning and innovation through best practices.
Providing comprehensive DEI education to ensure every voice is heard.

Let’s work together to transform your institution into a thriving, inclusive learning environment.


Who We Are

🔹 Trevor A. Dawes – Leadership & Diversity Expert

With over 20 years of experience in higher education and library management, Trevor is a renowned expert in leadership and diversity. He consults with institutions nationwide, leading workshops and training sessions that elevate library effectiveness and institutional success.

🔗Website | Google Scholar | Orcid

🔹 Russell Michalak – AI & Library Innovation Leader

Russell brings over 20 years of experience in higher education, dedicated to transforming library culture through EdTech solutions, leadership, project management, and AI-driven library innovations. His work focuses on empowering professionals, implementing AI tools, and transforming library operations into hubs of equity, respect, and collaboration.

🔗Website | Publications | Google Scholar  | Orcid

 

Our Combined Expertise

🫱🏿‍🫲🏿Together, Trevor and Russell are redefining how institutions create inclusive, diverse, and equitable learning environments, emphasizing that culture drives impactful change beyond strategy.


Why Choose Inclusive Knowledge Solutions?

Library Innovation & Transformation
Turn your library into a cutting-edge hub for learning, technology, and research.

Leadership Development & Training
Empower academic leaders with skills to drive equitable, inclusive change.

Organizational Learning & Continuous Growth
Create a culture where learning and collaboration fuel long-term success.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (DEI) Strategy
Ensure your institution thrives in a diverse, global academic landscape.


Let’s Build the Future of Higher Education Together

Are you ready to create lasting change in your institution or your life? Trevor A. Dawes and Russell Michalak here to help you.

📩 Book a Free Consultation 

Let’s create cultures that inspire, empower, and thrive. 


Join the Inclusive Knowledge Solutions Community

Stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education with the latest insights from Trevor A. Dawes and Russell Michalak. Whether it's about dismantling toxic cultures, enhancing leadership capabilities, or fostering inclusive academic environments, our newsletter is your go-to resource. 


Read our Book:

Toxic Dynamics: Disrupting, Dismantling, and Transforming Academic Library Culture

By Russell Michalak, Trevor A. Dawes, and Jon E. Cawthorne, editors

What Readers Are Saying About Toxic Dynamics

🔗https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/26686/34611


"Acknowledging the toxic culture and its existence is the first step, and change does not happen overnight, but the strategies offered in this book are essential to consider. The editors offered a great general multi-step process as a starting point: “identify the issues, create a plan, build a coalition, foster open communication, lead by example, lead to promote sustainable change, and celebrate progress.”


Blogs/Podcasts

Interrupting Bias in Academic Libraries: What Inclusive Leaders Do Differently

Academic libraries are often seen as inclusive spaces—committed to access, equity, and lifelong learning. But even in mission-driven environments, bias can quietly shape hiring practices, team dynamics, and advancement opportunities. While we may not be able to change institutional culture overnight, academic librarians in leadership roles can make a powerful difference by intentionally interrupting bias in everyday decisions.

Read more »

5 Things to Remember When Your Boss Doesn’t Advocate for You in Academic Libraries

Advocacy from supervisors is one of the most valuable currencies in the workplace—especially in academic libraries, where hierarchical structures, tenure processes, and institutional politics can shape the trajectory of a librarian’s career. But what happens when that support isn’t there? Whether it’s intentional or simply a symptom of competing priorities, lack of advocacy can leave you feeling stuck, unseen, and professionally vulnerable.

Read more »

Incentives, Mixed Signals, and Workplace Noise: What Are We Really Saying?

In every academic library, what we choose to reward—and what we choose to ignore—tells a story. Incentives are not just operational levers; they’re messages. They communicate what is truly valued, often louder than any mission statement or strategic plan. And when incentives contradict stated values, they don’t just send mixed signals—they produce noise.

Read more »

Curiosity as an Inclusive Leadership Practice in Academic Libraries

In academic libraries, we often encourage curiosity in our users—students, faculty, and researchers—but the most transformative environments are built when leaders foster curiosity in themselves and across their teams. As highlighted in the Harvard Business Review article "What Makes an Inclusive Leader?", curiosity is not a “nice-to-have”—it’s a critical capability of inclusive leadership.

Read more »

Beyond the Transaction: What Libraries—Big or Small—Deserve from Vendor Relationships

In academic librarianship, we talk a lot about technology, access, and outcomes—but not enough about the health of the relationships that make those things possible. When a vendor relationship begins to falter, it often doesn’t happen all at once. The silence creeps in. A response takes a little longer. Updates stop coming. Negotiations stall. Eventually, what once felt like a partnership begins to feel transactional—something to chase rather than build.

Read more »

Skill, Charisma, and Inclusion: Rethinking Leadership in Academic Libraries

In times of transformation, academic library leaders are asked to be both builders and bridge-makers—carefully managing details while cultivating trust, shared purpose, and community. Drawing on Albert O. Hirschman's distinction between skill and charisma, we can better understand what inclusive leadership demands of us—and how DEI-centered programming can serve as a proving ground for both.

Read more »

Gossip Isn’t Always Toxic: How Academic Librarians Can Use Informal Talk to Build Trust and Collaboration

Gossip has a bad reputation—and often for good reason. In academic libraries, as in any workplace, gossip can fracture teams, erode trust, and perpetuate bias. As we explored in our earlier blog post, Gossip in Organizations: How Bad Is It?, informal communication isn’t inherently negative—it becomes harmful when driven by exclusion, power struggles, or poor communication structures. And as Fear as a Powerful Motivator for Gossip in Academic Libraries: Insights from Corey Robin points out, gossip often thrives where fear silences more direct conversations. But that’s not the whole story.

Read more »

Diagnosing Toxicity, Designing Change: Jennifer King on “Detoxing Library Culture”

While some leaders shy away from discussing the realities of toxic workplaces, Jennifer King leans into the challenge. In her chapter, “Detoxing Library Culture: A Research and Assessment Approach,” from Toxic Dynamics: Disrupting, Dismantling, and Transforming Academic Library Culture, Jennifer shares a compelling, deeply reflective account of what it takes to lead strategic and systemic change in the face of longstanding organizational dysfunction.

Read more »

The Erasure of Diverse American Histories

Recent executive actions from the White House have sparked serious concerns about the integrity of American historical education. The Executive Action, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” raises alarming questions about whose truth is being centered and whose continues to be marginalized.

Read more »

Ready to Transform Your Institution?

Contact us today to discuss how our inclusive knowledge solutions can benefit your higher education establishment.

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