Options for ridding records of static electricity


I am getting back into vinyl, listening to “garage sale” finds and also new albums that I have been picking up. I have a nice old Linn Sondek LP12 with the felt mat. Every time I go to remove a record from the spindle or flip the record, static electricity grabs the felt mat and it sticks like a magnet. I have to very carefully flip the felt mat at the corner with my finger but one of these times I’m going to slip and smudge or scratch a record. 

I’ve seen the “Milty Zerostat” and seem to remember this product from back in the day. I see that it is still made and there is one eBay vendor that has them for $77. Is this my best bet? I thought Michael Fremor talked about these in one of his videos. 

Are there other products I should look at to reduce static electricity on my records? Thanks for any help you can give.
masi61
I never discharge myself before handing records. As I never have any static issues.
Like I said this is more a just curious inquiry.
There is no static in the records prior to play, only a few odd ones seem to generate a small amount AFTER play.
Just enough to lift a very thin mat an inch or so off the platter.
Hardly earth moving....lol.

Vinyl formulation is more likely but who knows?
I had two records in a row today, I will try those pair again tomorrow.
@mijostyn.  Nottingham indicates the platter is composed of "carbon graphite" on their website.
@antinn.  I did not check voltage potentials.  When speaking with the dealer after installation, he had indicated he had a similar problem that was eradicated with the grounding wire.
@uberwaltz  I have had the exact same experience, and it seems to be album related.  I suspect that it is a property of the particular vinyl composition.
orthomead.
I am now convinced it is just a peculiar material composition.
The two records that were affected the other day did exactly the same today.
None of the preceding or following records exhibited the static build up in the slightest.

As far as I am concerned that is the end of it for my curiosity.
Orthomead and Uberwaltz, it may be the way the record is stored. The record may be coming out of it's sleeve already charged. Check your records before play. Just wave the back of your hand slowly across the record. If there is static there you will feel and see your hairs stand up. This is actually a very sensitive way of detecting static in a qualitative sense. Note what kind of sleeve the record came out of. I suspect that electrons will transfer from paper to vinyl under pressure without rubbing. Uberwaltz, where do you live? Very Dry?
Yes, orthomead. Ground your bearing. Graphite is conductive so that should do it. 
Antinn, I do not think modern vinyl has any anti static additives. Not entirely sure of this. 
The best way to discharge the record is with a conductive brush wired to ground. I use a sweep arm. You could take a conductive hand held brush. drill and tap the handle and wire it to ground. Holding it will not work well even if you are holding a ground wire in the other hand. The resistance from one hand to the other is 23 megaohms! You can have the brush wired to ground and keep it right next to the turntable ready to use. Keep a felt pad adhered to a flat surface nearby to wipe the brush on. The sweep arm does this during play and sweeps any dust away from the path of the stylis. Set up correctly it will track right along with the tonearm.
Uberwaltz, curiosity has no end. I have proved myself wrong on several occasions.