The LiLI Unlimited Catalog allows the user to search for materials held by all the libraries in Idaho with just one search. Well, that is the potential. A user can’t see a library’s holdings in the database unless they’ve been added by the library. That might have happened in the past when batchloading and retrospective conversion projects were done with WLN. These days, it is more likely the result of a library that catalogs new materials using OCLC’s tools. That’s because the LiLI Unlimited Catalog operates in the FirstSearch interface — an OCLC product. And the LiLI Unlimited Catalog is really a subset of the entire OCLC WorldCat database.

How can you find out if your library has holdings in there? Here are the steps:

1. Log in to FirstSearch with your authorization and password, or just use the Guest Login for LiLI Unlimited Catalog.
2. Select the “EXPERT SEARCH” tab
3. In the search box type “li:{OCLC Symbol}”, then click SEARCH
Example: li:OIS to search for the State Library’s holdings

How do you find your OCLC Symbol? Use the OCLC Participating Institutions. I find the easiest way to search is by city.

Can’t find your library in the OCLC Participating Institutions list? Then you may not have a symbol or holdings with OCLC.

Want to update your holdings so they reflect what is currently in your collection? You can do that with LiLI Unlimited Resource Sharing. Call Gina at the State Library to learn more about it or look at the website.