The resonant energy transfer in the LiH-Li system was established and investigated. The specific collisional energy transfers LiH(A (1)Sigma(+) v('), J(')) + Li(2p) -> LiH(X-1 Sigma(+) v("), J(")) + Li(3s, 3d, 4s, 4d) + Delta E were studied by measuring the excitation spectra of the 3s, 3d, 4s, 4d -> 2p Li atomic transitions. The energy defect, AE, was taken as the energy difference between the Li atomic transition and the nearest LiH Stokes line. The intensities of Li atomic lines exhibit rather complex dependence on the energy defect diagrams. This is a consequence of five collisional energy transfer processes which occur simultaneously and are in competition with each other. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.