diff --git a/python/web/library/views.py b/python/web/library/views.py
index fe91c50..20005ac 100644
--- a/python/web/library/views.py
+++ b/python/web/library/views.py
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ def IndexView(request):
     return render_to_response('index.html')
 
 def SearchView(request):
-    search_string=request.GET['searchterm']
+    if 'searchterm' in request.GET:
+        search_string=request.GET['searchterm']
+    else:
+        search_string=''
     results=search(search_string)
     return render_to_response('search/search.html',{'search_string' : search_string, 'books' : results[0], 'people' : results[1], 'categories' : results[2]})