One of the most delightful Library blog posts I've read lately comes from the Now See Hear! blog from the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center. It's titled Dog Days of Summer, and it was written by David Sager. 

Can you find the song with the lyrics, "Has anybody here seen Rover?" It's such a fun idea to search for audio recordings on a theme - in this case, dogs! Have you ever tried having students pick a word and search only in Audio Recordings from the Library of Congress main search box? 

David Sager also explains the origin of the expression "Dog Days of Summer."

The expression “Dog Days of Summer” may evoke images of our canine friends immobilized by blistering temperatures and humidity, panting to keep cool. However, the phrase originally came from the seasonal re-appearance of the star Sirius, found in the constellation “Canis Majoris,” which translates as “big dog.” Regardless of the relationship between the constellation and our own battles with the summer heat, we present a series of early recordings that evoke “man’s best friend,” either directly or metaphorically, but all in great fun.

Dog sleeping under kitchen table in farm kitchen. Cavalier County, North Dakota, 1940

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