diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eb368dc..4bd141e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -289,15 +289,40 @@ console.log(response.usage);             // { input_tokens, output_tokens }
 The package re-exports the official SDK client, builders, and error types, plus the offline decision layer:
 
 ```typescript
-import { evaluatePolicy, extractResponse, loadPack, buildRecord } from "@fiale-plus/jev-cli";
+import { TypeSafeClient, choice, noul } from "@fiale-plus/jev-cli";
+
+const client = new TypeSafeClient({ apiKey: process.env.TYPESAFE_API_KEY! });
+const response = await client.systemOne({
+  state: "Payouts failing 3 days, help!",
+  questions: {
+    is_urgent: noul("Does this convey urgency?"),
+    dept: choice("Which team handles this?", { billing: "Payments", technical: "Bugs" }),
+  },
+});
+console.log(response.answers.is_urgent); // { type: "noul", noul: 0.98 }
+console.log(response.usage);             // { input_tokens, output_tokens }
+```
+
+Reuse one client across calls, own your state and elapsed time, and never apply a policy to a failed request:
+
+```typescript
+import { evaluatePolicy, loadPack, readRecord, buildRecord } from "@fiale-plus/jev-cli";
 
-const { pack, hash } = loadPack("verify");
-const response = await jev.systemOne({ state: claim, questions: pack.questions });
-const result = evaluatePolicy(pack.policy, response);
+const { pack } = loadPack("verify");
+const started = Date.now();
+const response = await client.systemOne({ state: claim, questions: pack.questions });
+const record = buildRecord({ pack: null, modelRequested: undefined, state: claim, questions: pack.questions, latencyMs: Date.now() - started }, response);
+```
+
+`readRecord` is the validated boundary for stored records — it returns a checked `DecisionRecord` or throws — while `isRecord` only detects the envelope. `extractResponse` accepts either a bare response or a decision record, so gating code does not care which one it was handed:
+
+```typescript
+const stored = readRecord(JSON.parse(savedText));
+const result = evaluatePolicy(pack.policy, stored.response);
 if (result.decision !== "accept") process.exit(result.exit_code);
 ```
 
-`GATE_EXIT` maps a decision to its exit code; `extractResponse` accepts either a bare response or a decision record, so gating code does not care which one it was handed.
+A complete runnable version lives at `examples/library/record-and-gate.mts`. `GATE_EXIT` maps a decision to its exit code.
 
 ## Development
 
diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index 963b1ba..7e2161f 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -104,3 +104,22 @@ npx tsx src/cli.ts packs verify | jq '.policy' > my-policy.json
 
 Keep the questions and the policy in step: change a question ID and the rules that
 name it abstain (exit 4), which is loud, not silent.
+
+## library — caller-owned recorded workflow
+
+`library/record-and-gate.mts` runs the full workflow with public imports only:
+one shared SDK client, abort on SIGINT/SIGTERM, elapsed-time measurement, error
+handling that never applies policy to a failed request, then offline policy over
+the saved record.
+
+```bash
+node tools/stub-server.mjs &
+export TYPESAFE_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8787 TYPESAFE_API_KEY=stub
+mkdir -p out
+npx tsx examples/library/record-and-gate.mts out/library-record.json; echo "exit $?"
+npx tsx src/cli.ts replay --record out/library-record.json
+```
+
+The record stores hashes of the supplied state and questions, model identity and
+latency — never the supplied text. Keep the original evidence and its stable ID
+outside version control if it is private.
diff --git a/examples/library/record-and-gate.mts b/examples/library/record-and-gate.mts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc28578
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/library/record-and-gate.mts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+// Complete recorded library workflow: one shared client, caller-owned state,
+// elapsed time and error handling, offline policy over a saved record.
+//
+// Run with: npx tsx examples/library/record-and-gate.mjs [out-path]
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import {
+  TypeSafeClient,
+  buildRecord,
+  estimateCostUsd,
+  evaluatePolicy,
+  loadPack,
+  readRecord,
+} from "../../src/index.ts";
+
+const apiKey = process.env.TYPESAFE_API_KEY;
+if (!apiKey) {
+  throw new Error("TYPESAFE_API_KEY is required (with `npm run stub`: TYPESAFE_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8787 TYPESAFE_API_KEY=stub).");
+}
+const outPath = process.argv[2] ?? "out/library-record.json";
+
+// Example input: caller-owned evidence and its stable ID. The record stores a
+// hash of this state, never the text — keep the original outside version
+// control if it is private.
+const claim = {
+  id: "library-intro-1",
+  claim: "Paid plans add seats in billing settings.",
+  evidence: "On the billing page, choose Add seats to invite more members.",
+};
+
+const { pack } = loadPack("verify");
+
+// One shared client: reuse it across calls instead of constructing one per row.
+const client = new TypeSafeClient({ apiKey });
+const controller = new AbortController();
+process.on("SIGINT", () => controller.abort());
+process.on("SIGTERM", () => controller.abort());
+
+let response;
+const started = Date.now();
+try {
+  response = await client.systemOne(
+    { state: claim, questions: pack.questions },
+    { signal: controller.signal },
+  );
+} catch (err) {
+  // Client errors stay in the caller: no policy is applied to a failed request.
+  process.stderr.write(`request failed: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}\n`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+const latencyMs = Date.now() - started;
+
+const relation = response.answers.relation;
+console.log(`relation: ${relation?.choice ?? "unknown"} (confidence ${(relation?.confidence ?? 0).toFixed(3)})`);
+console.log(`model: ${response.model} latency: ${Math.round(latencyMs)}ms cost: $${estimateCostUsd(response.usage.input_tokens).toFixed(6)}`);
+
+const record = buildRecord({ pack: null, modelRequested: undefined, state: claim, questions: pack.questions, latencyMs }, response);
+writeFileSync(outPath, JSON.stringify(record, null, 2) + "\n", "utf8");
+process.stderr.write(`record written: ${outPath}\n`);
+
+// Offline decision over the stored record, no inference: readRecord validates
+// the envelope, evaluatePolicy returns a decision with per-rule reasons.
+const stored = readRecord(JSON.parse(readFileSync(outPath, "utf8")));
+const result = evaluatePolicy(pack.policy, stored.response);
+console.log(`decision: ${result.decision} (exit ${result.exit_code})`);
+for (const rule of result.rules) console.log(` - ${rule.answer}: ${rule.outcome}${rule.reason ? ` — ${rule.reason}` : ""}`);
+process.exitCode = result.exit_code;
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 51d37a2..a72b2e0 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@fiale-plus/jev-cli",
-  "version": "0.1.2",
+  "version": "0.1.3",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@fiale-plus/jev-cli",
-      "version": "0.1.2",
+      "version": "0.1.3",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@typesafe-ai/sdk": "^0.6.0"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8180424..d632c04 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
   },
   "type": "module",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
-  "version": "0.1.2",
+  "version": "0.1.3",
   "dependencies": {
     "@typesafe-ai/sdk": "^0.6.0"
   }
diff --git a/src/cli/records.ts b/src/cli/records.ts
index 4971d7e..4c9b3b6 100644
--- a/src/cli/records.ts
+++ b/src/cli/records.ts
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ export function recordCost(record: DecisionRecord): { input_tokens: number; outp
   };
 }
 
-// Envelope detector. Anything carrying record fields is treated as a record and
-// must validate as one: falling back to a bare response would let a malformed or
-// newer record be reinterpreted as a different judgment.
-export function isRecord(input: unknown): input is DecisionRecord {
+// Envelope detector. Anything carrying record fields is treated as a candidate
+// record and must validate as one: falling back to a bare response would let a
+// malformed or newer record be reinterpreted as a different judgment.
+export function isRecord(input: unknown): boolean {
   return (
     typeof input === "object" &&
     input !== null &&
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ function isObject(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
 
 // Validates the fields that gate and replay dereference, so a hand-edited or
 // truncated record fails with a message instead of a TypeError.
-export function coerceRecord(input: unknown): DecisionRecord {
+function coerceRecord(input: unknown): DecisionRecord {
   if (!isObject(input)) throw new Error("Invalid record: expected a JSON object.");
   if (input.record_version !== RECORD_VERSION) {
     throw new Error(`Unsupported record_version ${JSON.stringify(input.record_version ?? null)}: this CLI writes version ${RECORD_VERSION}.`);
@@ -105,10 +105,19 @@ export function coerceRecord(input: unknown): DecisionRecord {
   return input as unknown as DecisionRecord;
 }
 
+// Public boundary for stored records: returns a validated record or throws. Unlike
+// isRecord, this is a claim the caller can rely on — a malformed envelope fails
+// here instead of reaching response handling unvalidated.
+export function readRecord(input: unknown): DecisionRecord {
+  if (!isRecord(input)) throw new Error('Invalid record: expected a decision record with a "record_version" or "response" field.');
+  return coerceRecord(input);
+}
+
+
 // Accepts either a record or a bare response object, so `gate` can read the output
 // of `ask` directly as well as a saved record.
 export function extractResponse(input: unknown): SystemOneResult<Questions> {
-  if (isRecord(input)) return coerceRecord(input).response;
+  if (isRecord(input)) return readRecord(input).response;
   if (isObject(input) && "answers" in input) return input as unknown as SystemOneResult<Questions>;
   throw new Error('Invalid input: expected a response object with an "answers" map, or a decision record with a "response" field.');
 }
diff --git a/src/commands/gate.ts b/src/commands/gate.ts
index 0eedb4f..b830eb9 100644
--- a/src/commands/gate.ts
+++ b/src/commands/gate.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { OutputFormat } from "../cli/formatters.js";
 import { formatGate } from "../cli/formatters.js";
 import type { GatePolicy } from "../cli/policy.js";
 import { GATE_EXIT, coercePolicy, evaluatePolicy } from "../cli/policy.js";
-import { coerceRecord, extractResponse, isRecord } from "../cli/records.js";
+import { extractResponse, isRecord, readRecord } from "../cli/records.js";
 import { loadPack } from "./packs.js";
 import { hashValue } from "../utils/hash.js";
 import { readJsonFile } from "../utils/io.js";
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export async function handleGate(global: GlobalOptions, format: OutputFormat): P
   const { policy, pack, questionsHash, source } = resolvePolicy(global);
 
   const input = readJsonFile(global.input);
-  const record = isRecord(input) ? coerceRecord(input) : null;
+  const record = isRecord(input) ? readRecord(input) : null;
   const response = record !== null ? record.response : extractResponse(input);
 
   // Gating a record against the pack that produced it: if the questions changed,
diff --git a/src/commands/replay.ts b/src/commands/replay.ts
index 1933415..be2c492 100644
--- a/src/commands/replay.ts
+++ b/src/commands/replay.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { GlobalOptions } from "../cli/parseArgs.js";
 import type { OutputFormat } from "../cli/formatters.js";
 import { formatReplay } from "../cli/formatters.js";
-import { RECORD_VERSION, coerceRecord } from "../cli/records.js";
+import { RECORD_VERSION, readRecord } from "../cli/records.js";
 import { readJsonFile } from "../utils/io.js";
 
 // Replay never calls the API: it re-emits answers that were already paid for, and
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export async function handleReplay(global: GlobalOptions, format: OutputFormat):
   const raw = readJsonFile(global.record);
   let record;
   try {
-    record = coerceRecord(raw);
+    record = readRecord(raw);
   } catch (err) {
     throw new Error(`Invalid record ${global.record}: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)} (expected a decision record written by --record, record_version ${RECORD_VERSION}).`);
   }
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index bf0555d..37f6e58 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export type { LintIssue, LintResult } from "./cli/lint.js";
 // thresholds on their own records needs the same decision function the CLI uses.
 export { lintPolicy, coercePolicy, evaluatePolicy, policyHash, GATE_EXIT } from "./cli/policy.js";
 export type { GateDecision, GatePolicy, GateResult, GateRule, RuleOutcome } from "./cli/policy.js";
-export { buildRecord, extractResponse, isRecord, recordCost, RECORD_VERSION } from "./cli/records.js";
+export { buildRecord, extractResponse, isRecord, readRecord, recordCost, RECORD_VERSION } from "./cli/records.js";
 export type { DecisionRecord, RecordPackRef } from "./cli/records.js";
 export { listPacks, loadPack } from "./commands/packs.js";
 export type { Pack } from "./commands/packs.js";
diff --git a/src/tests/gate.test.ts b/src/tests/gate.test.ts
index ff30f7a..b093a9d 100644
--- a/src/tests/gate.test.ts
+++ b/src/tests/gate.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import type { Questions, SystemOneResult } from "@typesafe-ai/sdk";
 import { GATE_EXIT, coercePolicy, evaluatePolicy, lintPolicy, policyHash } from "../cli/policy.js";
 import type { GatePolicy } from "../cli/policy.js";
-import { buildRecord, extractResponse, isRecord } from "../cli/records.js";
+import { buildRecord, extractResponse, isRecord, readRecord } from "../cli/records.js";
 import { canonicalJson, hashValue } from "../utils/hash.js";
 import { cliVersion } from "../utils/package.js";
 import { listPacks, loadPack } from "../commands/packs.js";
@@ -296,6 +296,20 @@ describe("records", () => {
     assert.equal(new Set(hashes).size, hashes.length, `state hashes must be distinct per input: ${JSON.stringify(hashes)}`);
   });
 
+  it("detects record envelopes without claiming them valid", () => {
+    assert.equal(isRecord({ response: null }), true);
+    assert.throws(() => readRecord({ response: null }), /Unsupported record_version/);
+    assert.throws(() => readRecord({ nope: true }), /Invalid record/);
+  });
+
+  it("validates stored records through the advertised boundary", () => {
+    const record = buildRecord(
+      { pack: null, modelRequested: undefined, state: "claim text", questions: {} as Questions, latencyMs: 1 },
+      MIXED_RESPONSE,
+    );
+    assert.deepEqual(readRecord(record), record);
+  });
+
   it("rejects a record envelope that is malformed or from another version", () => {
     assert.throws(() => extractResponse({ record_version: 2, response: { answers: {} }, answers: { a: {} } }), /Unsupported record_version 2/);
     assert.throws(() => extractResponse({ record_version: 1, response: null }), /"response" must be an object/);