Photo courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Library.
We’re officially in the “dog days” of summer!
Spanning July 3 to Aug. 11, the “dog days” of summer are usually the hottest days of the year. According to Merriam-Webster, the term is in reference to a star, not our furry friends…“In the ancient Greek constellation system, this star (called Seirios in Greek) was considered the hound of the hunter Orion and was given the epithet Kyon, meaning ‘dog.’ The Greek writer Plutarch referred to the hot days of summer as hēmerai kynades (literally, ‘dog days’), and a Latin translation of this expression as dies caniculares is the source of our English phrase.”
Stay cool, ’Cats!
Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Library. Her favorite “dog day” is Aug. 1 (her birthday).
Photo courtesy of Regina Duffy, Communication and Marketing Program Manager.
The dog days of summer are almost over! Regina Duffy’s dog Lucky, and all of us at Falvey Library are excited for your return to campus. See you on Aug. 24, Wildcats!
Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library.
The People’s Home Journal, v. XXXIX, no. 3, March, 1924. Photo courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Library.
Of course, we had to feature a dog in this week’s Throwback Thursday (TBT). This cover of The People’s Home Journal (v. XXXIX, no. 3) was published in March of 1924. Read the full magazine here. Looking for more content? The Villanova University Digital Library has a vast collection of dime novels and popular literature.
Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library.
Hey, Wildcats! We’ll be offering another virtual pet visit this month for some fun stress relief. Take a break, press “paws,” and join us via Zoom. You’ll have a chance to meet Max, Nova, and Olive, on Tuesday, July 21, from 12-12:30 p.m. Join URL(Villanova email required for entry).
Max (with Jeannine Ahern, Finance and Administration Specialist)
Max is a very lovable, yet fierce, 8-year-old Yorkshire terrier. Max’s full-time job is to protect the Ahern house from squirrels, chipmunks, and the mailman. He is a true lap dog. In addition to cuddling, his favorite activities are belly scratches, playing fetch with the ball, and running on the beach. Max’s favorite snacks are carrots, pretzels, and peanut butter! We love Max! Yorkies tend to have a long life expectancy, so, we’re looking forward to many more fun-filled years with our buddy Max!
Nova (with Shawn Proctor, Communication and Marketing Program Manager)
Nova is a two-year-old mixed terrier, named for her owner’s favorite college. She was rescued from Brandywine SPCA and enjoys long walks, short runs, and lots of peanut butter. When not loudly debating the relative merits of dogs v. cats with the home’s resident felines, Nova can be seen sprinting from room to room. And, despite her resemblance to Pete the Pup, alas, she is not the granddaughter of the Little Rascals doggo.
Olive (with Rob LeBlanc, First-Year Experience Librarian)
Olive is an 8-year-old standard poodle who erroneously believes she is a human. She is finicky eater, but has been known to swim through lava for hot dogs and/or bacon. She is a lover of other dogs, children, and most local wildlife (which she often confuses for fast moving toys, but has never successfully caught. Thankfully.) Despite literally being a “Puddle Hound” (Pūdelhund in German) she is not a fan of water, but will silently suffer frequent baths and grooming.
Attendees are free to bring their own pets, but please note that furry friends are not required—all are welcome to come check out the animals. Upon entering Zoom, attendees can choose whether to keep their microphones/audio on or off, depending on whether they would like to interact with the animals and attendees or simply observe. The event will be moderated by a library staff member, so please feel free to also use the chat feature to ask any questions if you do not want to unmute yourself.
Feeling the stress? Let us lend you a helping “paw”—unwind and grab that extra boost you need to finish the summer semester strong! This event, sponsored by Falvey Memorial Library, is free and open to all Villanova students, faculty, and staff.
Regina Duffy is Communication and Marketing Program Manager at Falvey Memorial Library. Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library.
The sunny, sultry days of July and August are often referred to as the “dog days” of summer. Ancient civilizations noticed what they thought was a correlation between the hottest days of summer and the heliacal (or, at sunrise) rising of the star Sirius in the constellation known as Canis Major (the “Big Dog”). Although Sirius does not actually have an effect on the temperature, its heliacal rising does coincide with some of the hottest days of summer in many parts of the northern hemisphere. “Canicular days” (from the Latin word for dog) made their first appearance in print in English in 1398. The Old Farmer’s Almanac puts the timing of the Dog Days as July 3 through August 11.
As we sweat our way through the dog days of summer, here is a selection of dog images from our collections!
Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Library. Her favorite “dog day” is Aug. 1 (her birthday). 
Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library.
