During the 1990's, the Ohio DeRolph Supreme Court case resulted in Ohio's educational funding system being declared unconstitutional. The Ohio Educational Library Media Association (OELMA) knew the state could not reinstate a mandate for teacher-librarians without the state funding the positions. Leadership for School Libraries (L4SL) was formed in response to the announcement of Ohio's new Operating Standards in 2000. L4SL included school library leaders from OELMA, the State Library of Ohio, INFOhio, and the Ohio Department of Education. When faced with an impossible situation and the certain knowledge that the change in the Operating Standards would result in thousands of students losing essential services, this group stepped up and began taking action. L4SL's thinking and initiatives guided OELMA's advocacy efforts and provided advocacy strategies that OELMA has built upon and still utilizes. When OELMA developed a strategic plan in 2008, the association officially made advocacy a top priority. For nearly ten years, OELMA has consistently and persistently worked toward the impossible. This article describes the Ohio's quest to serve the needs of 21st century learners and workers in a global society and to prepare students with 21st century skills.