# I use Apache::DBI and also do something that resembles this in my code, but YMMV
   package My::DB;
   sub connect {
      my $r = Apache->request;
      my $dbh =$r->pnotes('MyDBIHandle');
      if(!$dbh) {
         $dbh = DBI->connect(...);
         $r->pnotes('MyDBIHandle' => $dbh);
      }
      return $dbh;
    }