Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

At the USGS EROS Center, we study land change and produce land change data products used by researchers, resource managers, and policy makers across the nation and around the world. We also operate the Landsat satellite program with NASA, and maintain the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface in existence, including tens of millions of satellite images.

Teachers and parents can always find something to intrigue their students in the EROS library of educational resources!

Online Outreach and Education Activities

Landsat image pair showing change after dam installation
Landsat imagery showing change to a river after the installation of a dam.

Remote Sensing Classroom: Fun and engaging educational lessons that allow students to look at satellite imagery and perform the same analysis as the scientists at the EROS Center.

Landsat Change Pair game: View satellite imagery of change side-by-side and see if you can guess what’s different!

Earthshots: A world map filled with fascinating stories of change over time, from shrinking glaciers and burning forests to nuclear disasters and recovery.

Screenshot of Powell 150 story map
USGS story map - "150th Anniversary: J.W. Powell's Perilous River Expedition."

State Puzzle Game: Have you ever wanted to take your state apart and put it back together? Our state puzzle game gives you the chance!

Test Your Memory: The classic memory game with a remote sensing twist: You’ll match images captured by Landsat satellites.

JW Powell Story Map: Learn more about the historic Colorado River journey of John Wesley Powell, the second director of the USGS with our interactive story map.

The center's Communications & Outreach team also produces news releases, publications such as Earth As Art, Image of the Week videos, and a biweekly podcast called Eyes on Earth to highlight the goings-on at the Center.

Visitors to any number of community events in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the surrounding area may see EROS staff talking about the work of the U.S. Geological Survey and guiding adults and children through a hands-on learning activities.

Learn more about visiting EROS by clicking here.

THE DON LEE KULOW MEMORIAL LIBRARY

The Don Lee Kulow Memorial Library provides research and technical support to EROS scientists, engineers, and professional staff by facilitating access to current and historical information in the fields of photogrammetry, remote sensing, and GIS; earth sciences; and information technology, software, and systems engineering. EROS employees have access to print and audiovisual collections housed within the EROS library, reference and research literature delivered over the Web through a host of electronic databases, and materials in libraries worldwide accessed through interlibrary loan services.

The EROS library collection comprises more than 6,500 reference works, monographs, professional papers, reports, conference proceedings, atlases, and audiovisual resources; thousands of electronic journals; online reference works; and online research and reference databases that are funded by the USGS, the Department of the Interior, the EROS Library, and the South Dakota State Library.

The Don Lee Kulow Memorial Library's catalog is available online via WorldCat Discovery.

We circulate portions of our collection on a Library-to-Library basis only. Consult your local Librarian.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Don Lee Kulow Memorial Library

U.S. Geological Survey

EROS

47914 252nd Street

Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001

Fax: 605-594-6589

OCLC Symbol: GIE 

Business Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST

CAREERS WITHIN THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) EROS Center is government-owned/directed and contractor-operated. The work of EROS is carried out through a number of mission-support contracts with industry. The largest contract, the Technical Support Services Contract, is held by KBR. Its purpose is to provide the USGS with support in the areas of science, engineering, and technical operations. Other USGS contracts provide support in the areas of satellite mission operations, facility operations and maintenance, custodial services, and physical security.

EROS also partners with educational institutions by offering internships and research opportunities, and by supporting the U.S. Geological Survey's student jobs program and the Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program for post-graduate students.

Learn more about student jobs here

Learn more about the Mendenhall program here