The Answer
So the answer to the question "Why cross-search?" is: to discover useful and relevant resources, and places where you can look for further useful and relevant resources.
It is also worth noting, that whilst the benefits of cross-searching bibliographic, or abstracting and indexing databases have been described here, many of the same benefits apply to searching more than one library catalogue. If your own library does not have everything you need, you will sometimes be able to access other libraries' resources through Inter-library loan schemes. Union catalogues such as COPAC make it possible for you to search numerous libraries' collections from their web site.
One more place to look: if you've found a relevant article, check out the references that were used by its authors. A citations database will also provide you with information about material that refers to the author of your relevant article. You will find much more information on searching for resources from your library and librarians, so be sure to follow their advice.
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