As the battle over book bans in schools and libraries continues to play out in various states across the U.S., the toll it's taking on librarians is coming at a great cost — personally and financially.

Many librarians are speaking up about fearing for their jobs and safety.

Yet some conservative activists see the current fight playing out as necessary to protect children.

NPR's Tovia Smith traveled to Louisiana where tensions have been flaring up — pitting librarians against book ban advocates in the local community.

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