In the desert of Mauritania – near to the cities of Chinguetti, Ouadane, Tichitt, Ouala, declared Unesco Human Heritage sites – there is a cultural treasure: about thirty thousand manuscripts which date back to eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but also specimens of twentieth century. A cultural heritage at risk. But now, the italian project “Safe- guard of the Mauritania desert’s libraries” has been started. It schedules two efforts: to train specialized staff and to supply technology structure. Moreover, the digitization of the originals in order to allow to the scholars of all the world to study in the future these precious manuscripts.