<P> Hundreds of thousands of manuscripts were collected in Timbuktu over the course of centuries: some were written in the town itself, others--including exclusive copies of the Qur'an for wealthy families--imported through the lively booktrade . </P> <P> Hidden in cellars or buried, hid between the mosque's mud walls and safeguarded by their patrons, many of these manuscripts survived the city's decline . They now form the collection of several libraries in Timbuktu, holding up to 700,000 manuscripts: In late January 2013 it was reported that rebel forces destroyed many of the manuscripts before leaving the city . However, there was no malicious destruction of any library or collection as most of the manuscripts were safely hidden away . </P> <Ul> <Li> Ahmed Baba Institute </Li> <Li> Mamma Haidara Library </Li> <Li> Fondo Kati </Li> <Li> Al - Wangari Library </Li> <Li> Mohamed Tahar Library </Li> <Li> Maigala Library </Li> <Li> Boularaf Collection </Li> <Li> Al Kounti Collections </Li> </Ul> <Li> Ahmed Baba Institute </Li>

Why was timbuktu such an important stop on the trade route