diff --git a/docs/pkg/observable/README.md b/docs/pkg/observable/README.md
index 9523ff457..3234b627b 100644
--- a/docs/pkg/observable/README.md
+++ b/docs/pkg/observable/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-## `pkg/observable` Package
+## `pocket/pkg/observable` Package
 
-The `pkg/observable` package provides a lightweight and straightforward mechanism to handle asynchronous notifications using the Observer pattern. This is achieved through two primary interfaces: `Observable` and `Observer`.
+The `pocket/pkg/observable` package provides a lightweight and straightforward mechanism to handle asynchronous notifications using the Observer pattern. This is achieved through two primary interfaces: `Observable` and `Observer`.
 
 ## Overview
 
diff --git a/docs/template/pkg/README.md b/docs/template/pkg/README.md
index c7f915e9a..44f41885a 100644
--- a/docs/template/pkg/README.md
+++ b/docs/template/pkg/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-Certainly! I've added a section named "Architecture Diagrams" in the documentation template below:
-
-```markdown
 # Package [PackageName]
 
 > Brief one-liner or quote about what this package does.
@@ -16,11 +13,21 @@ Provide a few sentences about the purpose and functionality of this package. Con
 
 Visual representations often make it easier to understand the design and flow of a package. Below are the architecture diagrams that explain the high-level structure and interactions in this package:
 
-![Architecture Overview](./path-to-diagram1.png)
+```mermaid
+---
+title: Architecture Overview
+---
+flowchart
+```
 
 > **Figure 1**: Brief description about what this diagram represents.
 
-![Another Diagram](./path-to-diagram2.png)
+```mermaid
+---
+title: Another Diagram
+---
+flowchart
+```
 
 > **Figure 2**: Brief description about what this other diagram represents.
 
diff --git a/pkg/observable/channel/observable.go b/pkg/observable/channel/observable.go
index a173d8072..8e17ad9fb 100644
--- a/pkg/observable/channel/observable.go
+++ b/pkg/observable/channel/observable.go
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ package channel
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"pocket/pkg/observable"
 	"sync"
+
+	"pocket/pkg/observable"
 )
 
 // TODO_DISCUSS: what should this be? should it be configurable? It seems to be most
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ func NewObservable[V any](opts ...option[V]) (observable.Observable[V], chan<- V
 	}
 
 	// start listening to the publishCh and emit values to observers
-	go obs.goPublish(obs.publishCh)
+	go obs.goPublish()
 
 	return obs, obs.publishCh
 }
@@ -63,6 +64,15 @@ func WithPublisher[V any](publishCh chan V) option[V] {
 	}
 }
 
+// Next synchronously returns the next value from the observable.
+func (obsvbl *channelObservable[V]) Next(ctx context.Context) V {
+	tempObserver := obsvbl.Subscribe(ctx)
+	defer tempObserver.Unsubscribe()
+
+	val := <-tempObserver.Ch()
+	return val
+}
+
 // Subscribe returns an observer which is notified when the publishCh channel
 // receives a value.
 func (obsvbl *channelObservable[V]) Subscribe(ctx context.Context) observable.Observer[V] {
@@ -110,8 +120,8 @@ func (obsvbl *channelObservable[V]) unsubscribeAll() {
 
 // goPublish to the publishCh and notify observers when values are received.
 // This function is blocking and should be run in a goroutine.
-func (obsvbl *channelObservable[V]) goPublish(publisher <-chan V) {
-	for notification := range publisher {
+func (obsvbl *channelObservable[V]) goPublish() {
+	for notification := range obsvbl.publishCh {
 		// Copy currentObservers to avoid holding the lock while notifying them.
 		// New or existing Observers may (un)subscribe while this notification
 		// is being fanned out.
@@ -154,9 +164,12 @@ func (obsvbl *channelObservable[V]) copyObservers() (observers []*channelObserve
 
 // goUnsubscribeOnDone unsubscribes from the subscription when the context is done.
 // It is a blocking function and intended to be called in a goroutine.
-func goUnsubscribeOnDone[V any](ctx context.Context, subscription observable.Observer[V]) {
+func goUnsubscribeOnDone[V any](ctx context.Context, observer observable.Observer[V]) {
 	<-ctx.Done()
-	subscription.Unsubscribe()
+	if observer.IsClosed() {
+		return
+	}
+	observer.Unsubscribe()
 }
 
 // onUnsubscribe returns a function that removes a given observer from the
diff --git a/pkg/observable/channel/observable_test.go b/pkg/observable/channel/observable_test.go
index c6f27929f..6ec301cfa 100644
--- a/pkg/observable/channel/observable_test.go
+++ b/pkg/observable/channel/observable_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func TestChannelObservable_NotifyObservers(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tests := []test{
 		{
-			name:            "nil publisher",
+			name:            "nil publisher (default buffer size)",
 			publishCh:       nil,
 			inputs:          inputs,
 			expectedOutputs: inputs,
@@ -55,7 +55,13 @@ func TestChannelObservable_NotifyObservers(t *testing.T) {
 			inputs:          inputs,
 			expectedOutputs: inputs,
 		},
-		// TODO_INCOMPLETE: publisher channels which are full are proving harder to test
+		{
+			name:            "empty buffered len 1000 publisher",
+			publishCh:       make(chan int, 1000),
+			inputs:          inputs,
+			expectedOutputs: inputs,
+		},
+		// TODO_INCOMPLETE(#81): publisher channels which are full are proving harder to test
 		// robustly (no flakiness); perhaps it has to do with the lack of some
 		// kind of guarantee about the receiver order on the consumer side.
 		//
@@ -156,7 +162,7 @@ func TestChannelObservable_NotifyObservers(t *testing.T) {
 			err := group.Wait()
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			// unsubscribing should unsubscribeAll obsvr channel(s)
+			// unsubscribing should close observer channel(s)
 			for _, observer := range observers {
 				observer.Unsubscribe()
 
@@ -205,6 +211,8 @@ func TestChannelObservable_UnsubscribeObservers(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
+			// NOTE: this will log a warning that can be ignored:
+			// >  redundant unsubscribe: observer is closed
 			name: "cancel then unsubscribe",
 			lifecycleFn: func() observable.Observer[int] {
 				observer := obsvbl.Subscribe(ctx)
@@ -215,6 +223,8 @@ func TestChannelObservable_UnsubscribeObservers(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
+			// NOTE: this will log a warning that can be ignored:
+			// >  redundant unsubscribe: observer is closed
 			name: "unsubscribe then cancel",
 			lifecycleFn: func() observable.Observer[int] {
 				observer := obsvbl.Subscribe(ctx)
diff --git a/pkg/observable/channel/observer.go b/pkg/observable/channel/observer.go
index 7bd7ddbd3..f90bec563 100644
--- a/pkg/observable/channel/observer.go
+++ b/pkg/observable/channel/observer.go
@@ -69,6 +69,15 @@ func (obsvr *channelObserver[V]) Ch() <-chan V {
 	return obsvr.observerCh
 }
 
+// IsClosed returns true if the observer has been unsubscribed.
+// A closed observer cannot be reused.
+func (obsvr *channelObserver[V]) IsClosed() bool {
+	obsvr.observerMu.Lock()
+	defer obsvr.observerMu.Unlock()
+
+	return obsvr.isClosed
+}
+
 // unsubscribe closes the subscription channel, marks the observer as isClosed, and
 // removes the subscription from its observable's observers list via onUnsubscribe.
 func (obsvr *channelObserver[V]) unsubscribe() {
diff --git a/pkg/observable/interface.go b/pkg/observable/interface.go
index 3d4894339..452c18dcd 100644
--- a/pkg/observable/interface.go
+++ b/pkg/observable/interface.go
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ import "context"
 // notified of new values asynchronously.
 // It is analogous to a publisher in a "Fan-Out" system design.
 type Observable[V any] interface {
+	// Next synchronously returns the next value from the observable.
+	Next(context.Context) V
+	// Subscribe returns an observer which is notified when the publishCh channel
+	// receives a value.
 	Subscribe(context.Context) Observer[V]
+	// UnsubscribeAll unsubscribes and removes all observers from the observable.
 	UnsubscribeAll()
 }
 
@@ -19,6 +24,12 @@ type Observable[V any] interface {
 // channel and allows unsubscribing from an Observable.
 // It is analogous to a subscriber in a "Fan-Out" system design.
 type Observer[V any] interface {
+	// Unsubscribe closes the subscription channel and removes the subscription from
+	// the observable.
 	Unsubscribe()
+	// Ch returns a receive-only subscription channel.
 	Ch() <-chan V
+	// IsClosed returns true if the observer has been unsubscribed.
+	// A closed observer cannot be reused.
+	IsClosed() bool
 }