Using ePub books on the Kindle Fire

Since the Kindle Fire is an Android device, there is a way to install the OverDrive Media Console to download ePub books from your local library. Of course, there are now Kindle downloads available in OverDrive, and you would pick those first. But sometimes the title is only available in ePub format or the Kindle copy is out.


Here is how you do it.

Overdrive site 

On the Fire, you will need to do two things first.

• Go to Settings, More, Device, and turn on "Allow installation of Applications from Unknown Sources". (You can turn this off when you are done with this install.)
• Go to the Amazon Android store and download AndroXplorer, which allows you to browse the file structure on your Kindle Fire.

Using the Android Web browser, go  to http://overdrive.com/Software/omc

Click on the Android option to download, and look right below the box for the link that states "If your device does not support Android Market, you can download OverDrive Media Console for Android from OverDrive."  (Screenshot on left.) Click on that link.

Accept the licensing terms and you will see a short pop-up stating "downloading application". You will not be able to see the application in your Kindle Fire App menu yet.

Open the AndroXplorer application you downloaded on the Kindle Fire and navigate to the sdcard directory and then the Download directory. You will see "ODMediaConsoleSetup.apk" in the Download directory. Click on it and it will install the OverDrive Media Console on your Kindle Fire. (You can delete this downloaded file later once everything works.)

Add your library to the OverDrive app, and you can visit your public library's OverDrive site and download Adobe ePub books. If you do not have an Adobe account, you will be prompted to create one within the OverDrive app when necessary. OverDrive shows up in your App menu, now, too!