At the Cockeysville Public Library, staff recommendations have become a hot commodity.

"Boy, is that a simple but effective concept," said Mollie Fein, the library's branch manager. "Books really fly off that display.

"I think certain readers find certain staff members that they really like their recommendations," she said.

About 10 steps into the library, a small stand-alone shelving unit holds 20 to 30 fiction books recommended by the library's staff.

Another display, near the information desk, has non-fiction books, DVDs and CDs recommended by the staff.

The choices don't come by committee, however-- everyone working at the library, from librarians to volunteers, young and old, are encouraged to select books for recommendation.

Staff members simply put a slip of paper with their name on it in the book so that library patrons know who did the recommending. Sometimes staff members write a little explanation of why they love the book.

Anthony Bryant, the librarian responsible for collection, said once a reader reads a staff recommendation that they like, "they'll start looking for that person's name all the time."

In fact, patrons' familiarity and connection with staff members is at the heart of the program's success. Librarian John Pace, head of the library's Readers Advisor Team, said part of the reason readers trust the recommendations is, "customers know some of the staff so well."

Some of the staff practically have a following among readers.

The library keeps track of which staff member's recommendations are checked out by keeping the slip with the employee's name on it when a readers checks out the book.

"The most popular is our librarian Lisa Swain," Pace said.

He said, however, that some staff members provide more recommendations than others, which may be why so many slips with Swain's name are collected at check out.

"She is an avid reader," Pace said.

The program began four or five years ago and it is not unique to Cockeysville library, but over the last year and a half the number of "staff picks" being checked out from Cockeysville has usually been around 60 to 100 per month; some months are even better.

"April was a huge month," Pace said, noting that the library collected 170 slips that month.

Fein admits the number is small compared to the library's overall circulation of about 95,000 books, CDs and DVDs each month. But she still believes the "staff picks" program is a valuable resource.

"It provides a way for all staff to share their favorite reads every day all day," Fein said.

It also provides the staff with a little entertainment. At a monthly staff meeting, Pace puts all the collected slips (except the ones with his name on them) in a bucket and draws one.

Whoever's name is drawn receives a modest gift certificate for Panera Bread or a free DVD rental.

Fein thinks that the program may have increased circulation in the library overall. "The display has become a real draw," she said.

Fein seems pleased with the program and said the readers who check out the books range in age "from 18 to 98."

For Pace, the reward comes when someone returns one of the staff recommendations and says something such as, "I read the book you recommended -- what else do you recommend?"

In fact, Pace seems to stay excited as long as books are being checked out.

"Summer has brought empty spaces in the library (shelves) where there haven't been empty spaces in months," he said.

What's your pick?

Share your summer reading recommendations by responding to this story below in the comments field.

And for the record, Jay R. Thompson, Towson Times reporter, recommends "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller; "The Overcoat and Other Short Stories" by Nikolai Gogol; "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson; and "Watchmen" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

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