In American Animals (2018), which university library is targeted in the attempted rare-book theft?

American Animals (2018) follows four students who target Transylvania University’s library in an attempted rare-book theft.

The film dramatizes the 2004 robbery attempt at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. The students are interested in valuable works held in the university’s special collections, including books connected with Charles Darwin and other historically important authors.

The title refers to the students’ belief that their plan resembles a daring film heist, although the real event was improvised and much less polished than the movies that inspired them. The film combines scripted scenes with documentary-style interviews featuring the real people involved.

The university is sometimes confused with an institution in Romania because of its name. In this case, Transylvania University is a private university in Kentucky, founded in 1780. The attempted theft became the basis for Bart Layton’s 2018 film, which blends crime drama, interviews, and competing recollections of what happened.