code: def select(self, cols, mode='list'):
          
          if isinstance(cols, stringtypes):
              cols = _split_cols(cols)
          if not cols:
              cols = [f.name for f in self.fields]
          return select_rows(cols, self, mode=mode)
docs: Select columns from each row in the table.
  
          See :func:`select_rows` for a description of how to use the
          *mode* parameter.
  
          Args:
              cols: an iterable of Field (column) names
              mode: how to return the data