diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ae592d7..af00b80 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 Change Log
 ==========
 
+
+1.2.1
+-----
+
+* Fixed bug which could raise KeyError when looking up transcription files for records with no resourceType.
+
+
 1.2.0
 -----
 
diff --git a/aubreylib/resource.py b/aubreylib/resource.py
index bf4ed39..d5de51e 100644
--- a/aubreylib/resource.py
+++ b/aubreylib/resource.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ def __init__(self, identifier, metadataLocations, staticFileLocations,
         # Get transcriptions data
         self.transcriptions = get_transcriptions_data(
             meta_id=self.meta_id,
-            resource_type=self.desc_MD['resourceType'][0]['content'],
+            resource_type=self.desc_MD.get('resourceType', [{}])[0].get('content'),
             transcriptions_server_url=kwargs.get('transcriptions_server_url'),
         )
         # Get the fileSets within the fileSec
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index f8477ec..8df4ea9 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 setup(
     name='aubreylib',
-    version='1.2.0',
+    version='1.2.1',
     description='A helper library for the Aubrey access system.',
     author='University of North Texas Libraries',
     author_email='mark.phillips@unt.edu',
diff --git a/tests/test_resource.py b/tests/test_resource.py
index 9f53e0d..357bed8 100644
--- a/tests/test_resource.py
+++ b/tests/test_resource.py
@@ -66,8 +66,13 @@ def test_get_dimensions_data_absent(self, mock_exists):
 
 class TestGetTranscriptionsData:
 
-    def test_get_transcriptions_data_wrong_resource_type(self):
-        result = resource.get_transcriptions_data('metadc123', 'text', 'http://example.com')
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('resource_type', [
+        '',
+        None,
+        'text',
+    ])
+    def test_get_transcriptions_data_wrong_resource_type(self, resource_type):
+        result = resource.get_transcriptions_data('metadc123', resource_type, 'http://example.com')
         assert result == {}
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('url', [
@@ -196,3 +201,18 @@ def testResourceObjectTranscriptions(self, mocked_fileSet_file,
         assert not ro.manifestation_dict[1][1]['has_vtt_chapters']
         assert not ro.manifestation_dict[1][1]['has_vtt_thumbnails']
         assert not ro.manifestation_dict[1][1]['has_vtt_metadata']
+
+    @patch.object(resource.ResourceObject, 'get_fileSet_file')
+    @patch('aubreylib.resource.get_desc_metadata')
+    def testResourceObjectEmptyDescMD(self, mocked_get_desc_metadata, mocked_fileSet_file):
+        """Tests that a ResourceObject can instantiate with missing descriptive metadata keys."""
+        mocked_get_desc_metadata.return_value = {}
+        mocked_fileSet_file.return_value = {'file_mimetype': '',
+                                            'file_name': '',
+                                            'files_system': ''}
+        current_directory = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+        mets_path = '{0}/data/metapth12434.mets.xml'.format(current_directory)
+
+        resource.ResourceObject(identifier=mets_path, metadataLocations=[],
+                                staticFileLocations=[], mimetypeIconsPath='', use=USE,
+                                transcriptions_server_url='http://example.com')