diff --git a/hef/selection.py b/hef/selection.py
index 3a8d5f3..afef502 100644
--- a/hef/selection.py
+++ b/hef/selection.py
@@ -53,3 +53,46 @@ def candidates_for_mode(records, mode: str, pool_size: int) -> list[Record]:
         extra = [r for r in records if r.mode in {"audio", "video"}]
         return primary + extra
     return primary
+
+
+from typing import Optional
+
+
+def select(
+    records,
+    coord: Coordinate,
+    mode: str,
+    *,
+    pool_size: int = 4,
+    weights: Weights = Weights(),
+    approved_only: bool = False,
+    rng=None,
+) -> Optional[Record]:
+    """Pick the record nearest `coord` for the given selector `mode`.
+
+    - 'none' selector mode returns None (the void/rest state).
+    - With rng=None, returns the single nearest record (ties broken by id) for
+      deterministic behavior. Pass a random.Random to shuffle within the
+      pool_size nearest records.
+    - approved_only restricts to records the human has blessed.
+    """
+    if mode not in SELECTOR_MODES:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"invalid selector mode {mode!r}; expected one of {sorted(SELECTOR_MODES)}"
+        )
+    if mode == "none":
+        return None
+    pool = records
+    if approved_only:
+        pool = [r for r in pool if r.review_status == "approved"]
+    candidates = candidates_for_mode(pool, mode, pool_size)
+    if not candidates:
+        return None
+    ranked = sorted(
+        candidates,
+        key=lambda r: (distance(coord, record_coordinate(r), weights), r.id),
+    )
+    nearest = ranked[:pool_size]
+    if rng is None:
+        return nearest[0]
+    return rng.choice(nearest)
diff --git a/tests/test_selection.py b/tests/test_selection.py
index 8012986..e535c7e 100644
--- a/tests/test_selection.py
+++ b/tests/test_selection.py
@@ -79,3 +79,58 @@ def test_av_falls_back_to_audio_and_video_when_thin():
 def test_candidates_rejects_none_mode():
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         candidates_for_mode([], "none", pool_size=4)
+
+
+import random
+
+from hef.selection import select
+
+
+def test_none_mode_returns_none():
+    records = [make_record(id="v", mode="video")]
+    assert select(records, Coordinate(0, 0, 0, 0), "none") is None
+
+
+def test_empty_pool_returns_none():
+    assert select([], Coordinate(0, 0, 0, 0), "video") is None
+
+
+def test_select_returns_nearest_by_default():
+    near = make_record(id="near", mode="video", left=2, right=2, dark=2, light=2)
+    far = make_record(id="far", mode="video", left=0, right=0, dark=0, light=0)
+    result = select([far, near], Coordinate(2, 2, 2, 2), "video")
+    assert result.id == "near"
+
+
+def test_select_is_deterministic_without_rng():
+    records = [
+        make_record(id="b", mode="video", left=1),
+        make_record(id="a", mode="video", left=1),
+    ]
+    # Equal distance -> tie broken by id, so "a" wins deterministically.
+    result = select(records, Coordinate(1, 0, 0, 0), "video")
+    assert result.id == "a"
+
+
+def test_select_with_rng_picks_within_nearest_pool():
+    records = [make_record(id=f"r{i}", mode="video", left=i % 5) for i in range(10)]
+    coord = Coordinate(2, 0, 0, 0)
+    rng = random.Random(0)
+    chosen = {select(records, coord, "video", pool_size=3, rng=rng).id for _ in range(50)}
+    # Only records inside the 3-nearest pool may ever be chosen.
+    ranked = sorted(records, key=lambda r: abs(r.left - 2))
+    allowed = {r.id for r in ranked[:3]}
+    assert chosen <= allowed
+
+
+def test_approved_only_excludes_proposed():
+    proposed = make_record(id="p", mode="video", review_status="proposed")
+    approved = make_record(id="ok", mode="video", review_status="approved")
+    result = select([proposed, approved], Coordinate(0, 0, 0, 0), "video",
+                    approved_only=True)
+    assert result.id == "ok"
+
+
+def test_invalid_selector_mode_raises():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        select([], Coordinate(0, 0, 0, 0), "telepathy")