bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Charmaine Yu

Hongkongers are likely to have already seen Steven Harrison Stratman’s videos of him exploring every library in the city on their Instagram feeds.
In his clips, Stratman – better known as @authorshstratman online – captures everyday scenes of libraries from Shau Kei Wan to Tiu Keng Leng, from children flipping through picture books to the architecture.
His narrated videos even document the journeys he takes to get there and explain the area’s history, as well as review the library itself.
It is a format that has netted him nearly 30,000 followers on Instagram. One video of the public library in Tin Shui Wai has 1.5 million views and more than 80,000 likes.

The 32-year-old from the US state of Ohio first visited Hong Kong in 2016 as an exchange student at Baptist University to study Chinese philosophy. He enjoyed his time so much that he decided to return to the city in 2019.
“I’ve been here ever since, and I’m exploring more and more every day,” he tells the Post.
Other than the Chinese subtitles provided by his wife, Stratman, now a tutor, is solely responsible for creating the videos. He usually edits 150 to 200 clips for each Instagram post, with the entire process taking six to 10 hours.
The library series began as an accident during a trip to the Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay in November 2022.
“I took a shot of the tram coming by, and thought [of the library in the background], ‘Well, that looks pretty cool,’” he recalls. He later decided to edit and post a short video on the library on Instagram.
He has continued to grow his library series since, venturing from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon to the New Territories.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by S.H. Stratman (@authorshstratman)



For Stratman, these videos feel like “a challenge to go outside and explore neighbourhoods that I’ve never been to” while documenting landmarks for the community.
But libraries are not just a collection space for books, he says; they also function as community hubs.
When comparing Hong Kong libraries to those in Ohio, he points out that “many of the libraries here are connected to sports centres or wet markets. These libraries feel like an extension of the neighbourhood, whereas in America, everything is more isolated.”
At first, Stratman assumed that most of the audience for his library series would be expats or tourists, but instead, many are locals. He adds that a lot of viewers are Hongkongers who have emigrated, and have reached out to him with heartfelt messages about the childhood libraries that they have not seen in years.
For those who have left the city, these videos are “like a time capsule”, and they instantly “draw [them] right back to that place”.

Stratman’s philosophy is to capture a moment in time in its sincerity. Libraries are a liminal space of childhood, and “they’re like a school – we spend a massive amount of our early years in these places”, he says.
“Once we leave, we never really think about them again – but it’s strange to come back to.”
For Stratman, the act of reading physical books is one filled with nostalgia. “I was lucky that my mother took education seriously. A lot of my childhood was surrounded by books.”
He has also been writing for as long as he can remember. “When I was 10 years old, I was writing The Lord of the Rings fanfiction,” he says. “Ever since I had a computer, really, I’ve spent my whole life typing things.”

His 2022 book, Blood Runs East, is a self-published novel inspired by horror, mystery and Hong Kong’s nighttime noir. Today, he is working on a new novel, 852, a romantic comedy that follows characters in their thirties trying to balance love and life in the city.
Earlier this month, he teamed up with the Changing Young Lives Foundation (CYLF), a Hong Kong-based charity serving underprivileged children. He will donate 50 per cent of the proceeds from Blood Runs East, which can be bought online. CYLF provides free education and talent development programmes for marginalised youth, including those with learning disabilities.
“Ever since I was a young kid, my grandmother always was very charitable, and she used to sponsor orphans overseas every month. My mother continued this, so it’s something I’ve always really felt very strongly about – charitable giving.”
Stratman chose CYLF for its family-based education. Apart from scholarships and academic support, the organisation also offers services to “teach the family how to teach their children at home”, designed for kids who cannot afford education centres after school.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by S.H. Stratman (@authorshstratman)



Though the original plan was to host this initiative for a week, Stratman has vowed to continue donating his proceeds indefinitely.
“Children are like firecrackers. Sometimes, all it takes is a spark at the right time, and it can ignite a lifelong passion,” he says.
“Every child is equal, and every child deserves the same opportunities, despite their economic background. I believe this with all of my heart.”


Frenzy around Hong Kong Palace Museum’s Egyptian show offers food for thought

How Chor Yuen’s forgotten Hong Kong wuxia films mixed magic realism and complex heroes

In pictures: how Hong Kong celebrated Christmas from the 1970s to 90s

Kam Tin Jiao Festival proves heritage and development can coexist in harmony

Hong Kong culture

Viral Instagram videos on Hong Kong’s libraries are ‘like a time capsule’

Steven Harrison Stratman in a bookstore in Hong Kong. 
His viral Hong Kong library videos on Instagram have captured the attention of many people in and out of Hong Kong. Photo: Li Anqi

Stratman first visited Hong Kong in 2016. Photo: Li Anqi

A child reads a book at Hong Kong Central Library. Stratman’s library series began with a video filmed here. Photo: Jelly Tse

Stratman holds a copy of his self-published novel, Blood Runs East (2022). Photo: Li Anqi

Hong Kong Instagram star Uncle K on making viral food videos and being ‘a normal person’

Kent Wong, aka Uncle K, at Lok Yuen, a traditional Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng cafe in Kowloon City. The content creator has risen to Instagram fame in recent months with his videos about Hong Kong restaurants. Photo: Sam Tsang

Wong enjoys a dish at Lok Yuen, in the Kowloon City Market and Cooked Food Centre. Photo: Kylie Knott

Kent Wong’s videos exploring Hong Kong’s food scene have made him a reluctant social media star. Photo: Kent Wong

Wong with Hong Kong-born Canadian actress Grace Chan in Chungking Mansions, in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Instagram

The cover of Wong’s book. Photo: Kent Wong

Indonesian boy’s viral boat dance moves put traditional festival in the global spotlight

Rayyan Arkan Dikha, 11, dances on the bow of his team’s longboat during the Pacu Jalur river race in Sumatra’s Riau Province. Attendance at this year’s event, which dates back to the 17th century, is estimated to have swelled by more than 100,000 after a video of the boy’s moves garnered millions of views on social media. Photo: AFP

Rayyan Arkan Dikha sits on his team’s vessel before the Pacu Jalur longboat race festival on August 22, 2025. Photo: AFP

Rayyan dances at the front of his team’s vessel during the Pacu Jalur longboat race festival. Photo: AFP

Participants gather during the Pacu Jalur longboat race festival on the Kuantan River. Photo: AFP

Revamped Asia Art Archive public library in Hong Kong goes from cramped to cosy after major year-long revamp

The revamped Asia Art Archive in Sheung Wan. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Asia Art Archive’s executive director,  Christopher K. Ho, at the revamped library in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

A hybrid of open and closed shelf systems expand previous shelf space by 50 per cent. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Inside the revamped Asia Art Archive. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Ho says the AAA remains committed to Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

A space at the revamped Asia Art Archive. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Shenzhen travel guide: how to get a visa on arrival, which apps to download and cashless payment in the Chinese city

To get to places in Shenzhen like Dongmen Pedestrian Street (above), Hong Kong residents without the right visa can apply for one on arrival. That’s not all you need to know - we break down the essentials for your trip from Hong Kong. Photo: Shutterstock

WeChat is useful for electronic payments and for its mini-programs – apps within the app. Photo: Shutterstock

The simplest option within Hong Kong to reach Shenzhen is to take the MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau stations. Photo: Erika Na

Shenzhen taxis can be ordered via Didi Chuxing, the Chinese equivalent of Uber. Photo: Shutterstock

Alipay accepts foreign-issued credit cards and can be used to make e-payments in Shenzhen. Photo: Shutterstock

Baidu Maps is more accurate than Google Maps in Shenzhen. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle

Travel & Leisure

Culture

Books

Steven Harrison Stratman, who captures everyday scenes from libraries across Hong Kong, explains why they’re more than just book collections


Steven Harrison Stratman, who captures everyday scenes from libraries across Hong Kong, explains why they’re more than just book collections.


Viral Instagram videos on Hong Kong’s libraries are ‘like a time capsule’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Steven Harrison Stratman, who captures everyday scenes from libraries across Hong Kong, explains why they’re more than just book collections

Steven Harrison Stratman, who captures everyday scenes from libraries across Hong Kong, explains why they’re more than just book collections