diff --git a/scheme/nuit-packages.scm b/scheme/nuit-packages.scm
index 94dc1a3..defc4db 100644
--- a/scheme/nuit-packages.scm
+++ b/scheme/nuit-packages.scm
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@
         utils
 	select-list
         select-line
+        select-element
 	tty-debug)
   (files process))
 
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@
         utils
         layout
         select-list
+        select-element
         (subset focus-table (make-focus-object-reference))
         tty-debug)
   (files user-group-info))
@@ -197,6 +199,7 @@
 
         ncurses
         select-list
+        select-element
 	completion-sets
 	run-jobs
         plugin
@@ -221,6 +224,7 @@
         utils
 	fs-object
 	select-list
+        select-element
 	plugin
 	ncurses
 	tty-debug)
@@ -321,12 +325,6 @@
   (export make-select-list
 	  select-list?
 	  
-          make-unmarked-element
-          make-marked-element
-	  make-unmarked-text-element
-	  make-marked-text-element
-	  element?
-
 	  select-list-handle-key-press
 	  unmark-current-line
 	  mark-current-line
@@ -349,6 +347,7 @@
 	define-record-types
 	signals
 
+        select-element
 	(subset focus-table (make-focus-object-reference))
 	tty-debug
         utils
@@ -368,11 +367,29 @@
 	define-record-types
 	signals
         
+        select-element
         layout
 	tty-debug
 	ncurses)
   (files select-line))
 
+(define-interface select-element-interface
+  (export
+   make-element
+   make-unmarked-element
+   make-marked-element
+   make-unmarked-text-element
+   make-marked-text-element
+   element? element-markable? element-marked?
+   element-value element-painter))
+
+(define-structure select-element select-element-interface
+  (open scheme
+        define-record-types
+        
+        ncurses)
+  (files select-element))
+
 ;;; joblist viewer
 
 (define-structure joblist-viewer
@@ -389,6 +406,7 @@
 	ncurses
 	focus-table
 	select-list
+        select-element
 	tty-debug
 	plugin
 	layout)
@@ -418,6 +436,7 @@
         layout
         utils
         select-list
+        select-element
         tty-debug
         plugin)
   (files inspector))
@@ -890,6 +909,7 @@
 	completion-sets
 	completer
 	select-list
+        select-element
 	jobs
 	run-jobs
 	run-jobs-internals
diff --git a/scheme/select-list.scm b/scheme/select-list.scm
index 410e0c5..914b5f2 100644
--- a/scheme/select-list.scm
+++ b/scheme/select-list.scm
@@ -1,27 +1,3 @@
-(define-record-type element :element
-  (make-element markable? marked? value painter)
-  element?
-  (markable? element-markable?)
-  (marked? element-marked?)
-  (value element-value)
-  (painter element-painter))
-
-(define-record-discloser :element
-  (lambda (r)
-    `(element ,(element-marked? r) ,(element-value r))))
-
-(define (make-unmarked-element value markable? painter)
-  (make-element markable? #f value painter))
-
-(define (make-marked-element value markable? painter)
-  (make-element markable? #t value painter))
-
-(define (make-unmarked-text-element value markable? text)
-  (make-unmarked-element value markable? (make-text-painter text)))
-
-(define (make-marked-text-element value markable? text)
-  (make-marked-element value markable? (make-text-painter text)))
-
 (define-record-type select-list :select-list
   (really-make-select-list elements view-index cursor-index num-lines)
   select-list?
@@ -149,16 +125,6 @@
 		  (select-list-view-index select-list))
 	    (+ 1 num-lines)))
 
-(define (make-text-painter text)
-  (lambda (win x y at-cursor? marked?)
-    (if at-cursor?
-        (wattron win (A-REVERSE)))
-    (if marked?
-	(wattron win (A-BOLD)))
-    (mvwaddstr win y x text)
-    (if (or at-cursor? marked?)
-        (wattrset win (A-NORMAL)))))
-
 (define (paint-selection-list select-list win result-buffer have-focus?)
   (paint-selection-list-at select-list 0 0  win result-buffer have-focus?))