The Shaw Collection consists of books, and a small selection of periodicals, which focus on Australian art and culture as selected by generous donor, Miss Edna Shaw (1924-2019). The collection contains many rare and significant monographs, including limited editions and large folio size items.

The collection is a long-standing endowment by Miss Shaw in honour of her late father, John Vernon Shaw.

There are over 5,500 works in this collection, which Miss Shaw donated over the course of more than a decade. In late 2019, Miss Edna Shaw unfortunately passed away.

A reader viewing one of the beautiful colour plates by William T Cooper in a volume of "Australian Parrots" by Joseph Forshaw held in a deluxe edition published by Lansdowne Editions.