Career
His predecessor was J. Lionel Madden. The role has been influential in Wales, since John Ballinger first took up the position in 1909. Green"s career had been in British university libraries including the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1973-1974), University College Cardiff (1975-1989), University of Sheffield (1989-1992) and was the Director of Library and Information Services at the University of Wales, Swansea (1992-1998).
Though not a native Welsh speaker (having been born and raised in England) Green is fluent in the language.
At the 2009 National Eisteddfod, the Gorsedd of Bards honoured him with bestowal of the white bardic robes of a druid. His bardic name is Gwallter bach ("Little Walter").
In 2005, Green criticised the Welsh Tourist Board for the way it advertised Wales, using old-fashioned and stereotypical concepts of the country. He also suggested that Wales could benefit from attracting genealogy tourists to use the materials available at the National Library, in the same way as Ireland successfully attracts expatriates from the United States to visit the country and research their origins.
