diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/service/impl/HttpConnectionPoolService.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/service/impl/HttpConnectionPoolService.java
index 4f1f734988..c5f7c46b58 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/service/impl/HttpConnectionPoolService.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/service/impl/HttpConnectionPoolService.java
@@ -29,6 +29,21 @@ import org.dspace.services.ConfigurationService;
 /**
  * Factory for HTTP clients sharing a pool of connections.
  *
+ * <p>You may create multiple pools.  Each is identified by a configuration
+ * "prefix" (passed to the constructor) which is used to create names of
+ * properties which will configure the pool.  The properties are:
+ *
+ * <dl>
+ *   <dt>PREFIX.client.keepAlive</dt>
+ *   <dd>Default keep-alive time for open connections, in milliseconds</dd>
+ *   <dt>PREFIX.client.maxTotalConnections</dt>
+ *   <dd>maximum open connections</dd>
+ *   <dt>PREFIX.client.maxPerRoute</dt>
+ *   <dd>maximum open connections per service instance</dd>
+ *   <dt>PREFIX.client.timeToLive</dt>
+ *   <dd>maximum lifetime of a pooled connection, in seconds</dd>
+ * </dl>
+ *
  * @author Mark H. Wood <mwood@iupui.edu>
  */
 @Named
diff --git a/dspace/config/dspace.cfg b/dspace/config/dspace.cfg
index 3a3fe71961..10ed3b115d 100644
--- a/dspace/config/dspace.cfg
+++ b/dspace/config/dspace.cfg
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ default.language = en_US
 solr.server = http://localhost:8983/solr
 
 # Solr connection pool.
+# If you change these values, the changes are not effective until DSpace is
+# restarted.
 #
 # Maximum open connections to Solr:
 # solr.client.maxTotalConnections = 20