diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml
index cc2bd97cb89..ff9751f2b95 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ jobs:
         run: just api/init
 
       - name: Run API tests
-        run: just api/test
+        run: just api/test-ci
 
       - name: Print API test logs
         if: success() || failure()
diff --git a/api/api/templatetags/get_attr.py b/api/api/templatetags/get_attr.py
index aeec2e8cb0f..915c00c9e3f 100644
--- a/api/api/templatetags/get_attr.py
+++ b/api/api/templatetags/get_attr.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from django import template
 
 
-numeric_test = re.compile("^\d+$")
+numeric_test = re.compile(r"^\d+$")
 register = template.Library()
 
 
diff --git a/api/conf/settings/databases.py b/api/conf/settings/databases.py
index 5473bcc66b1..a48fdcb9775 100644
--- a/api/conf/settings/databases.py
+++ b/api/conf/settings/databases.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 
 # Database
-# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/#databases
+# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/ref/settings/#databases
 
 DATABASES = {
     "default": {
@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@
         "USER": config("DJANGO_DATABASE_USER", default="deploy"),
         "PASSWORD": config("DJANGO_DATABASE_PASSWORD", default="deploy"),
         "NAME": config("DJANGO_DATABASE_NAME", default="openledger"),
-        # Default of 30 matches RDS documentation's advised max DNS caching time
-        # https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_BestPractices.html#CHAP_BestPractices.DiskPerformance
-        "CONN_MAX_AGE": config("DJANGO_CONN_MAX_AGE", default=30),
         "CONN_HEALTH_CHECKS": config(
             "DJANGO_CONN_HEALTH_CHECKS", default=True, cast=bool
         ),
@@ -22,6 +19,7 @@
             "application_name": config(
                 "DJANGO_DATABASE_APPLICATION_NAME", default="openverse-api"
             ),
+            "pool": True,
         },
     }
 }
diff --git a/api/conf/settings/logging.py b/api/conf/settings/logging.py
index 3593ab7bcb5..90797f8c012 100644
--- a/api/conf/settings/logging.py
+++ b/api/conf/settings/logging.py
@@ -167,6 +167,13 @@ def suppress_unwanted_logs(record: LogRecord) -> bool:
         "propagate": False,
     }
 
+    # Add connection pool logging
+    LOGGING["loggers"]["django.db.backends.pool"] = {
+        "level": "DEBUG",
+        "handlers": ["console_structured"],
+        "propagate": False,
+    }
+
     if not DEBUG:
         # WARNING: Do not run in production long-term as it can impact performance.
         middleware = (
diff --git a/api/justfile b/api/justfile
index b9c97931f09..31b85ca0988 100644
--- a/api/justfile
+++ b/api/justfile
@@ -160,6 +160,14 @@ generate-docs doc="media-props" fail_on_diff="true":
 test *args: wait-up
     env DC_USER="ov_user" just ../exec web pytest "$@"
 
+# Run the API tests in the CI
+test-ci: wait-up
+    # The order is important here: the unit tests drop the database in the end,
+    # and when ran concurrently with the integration tests, the integration
+    # tests' database is dropped.
+    just test -k unit
+    just test -k "not unit"
+
 # Run API tests locally
 [positional-arguments]
 test-local *args:
diff --git a/api/pdm.lock b/api/pdm.lock
index 7c10b4912ad..6dcfb15f18d 100644
--- a/api/pdm.lock
+++ b/api/pdm.lock
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 groups = ["default", "dev", "overrides", "test"]
 strategy = ["inherit_metadata"]
 lock_version = "4.5.0"
-content_hash = "sha256:95f8248f465dc7788ff8eb59ea982fdbb8464bd0357313e1aaa7a15030b3a33a"
+content_hash = "sha256:4958f42c8951e1c07a6279084b470fd99787be84dc222aa78ff75980b54ebdef"
 
 [[metadata.targets]]
 requires_python = "==3.12.*"
@@ -1404,6 +1404,36 @@ files = [
     {file = "psycopg_binary-3.2.3-cp312-cp312-win_amd64.whl", hash = "sha256:261f0031ee6074765096a19b27ed0f75498a8338c3dcd7f4f0d831e38adf12d1"},
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "psycopg-pool"
+version = "3.2.4"
+requires_python = ">=3.8"
+summary = "Connection Pool for Psycopg"
+groups = ["default"]
+dependencies = [
+    "typing-extensions>=4.6",
+]
+files = [
+    {file = "psycopg_pool-3.2.4-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:f6a22cff0f21f06d72fb2f5cb48c618946777c49385358e0c88d062c59cbd224"},
+    {file = "psycopg_pool-3.2.4.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:61774b5bbf23e8d22bedc7504707135aaf744679f8ef9b3fe29942920746a6ed"},
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "psycopg"
+version = "3.2.3"
+extras = ["pool"]
+requires_python = ">=3.8"
+summary = "PostgreSQL database adapter for Python"
+groups = ["default"]
+dependencies = [
+    "psycopg-pool",
+    "psycopg==3.2.3",
+]
+files = [
+    {file = "psycopg-3.2.3-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:644d3973fe26908c73d4be746074f6e5224b03c1101d302d9a53bf565ad64907"},
+    {file = "psycopg-3.2.3.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:a5764f67c27bec8bfac85764d23c534af2c27b893550377e37ce59c12aac47a2"},
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ptyprocess"
 version = "0.7.0"
diff --git a/api/pyproject.toml b/api/pyproject.toml
index 8b97769651c..8c7584028e7 100644
--- a/api/pyproject.toml
+++ b/api/pyproject.toml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "future >=1, <1.1",
     "limit >=0.2.3, <0.3",
     "pillow >=11, <12",
-    "psycopg >=3.1.18, <4",
+    "psycopg[pool] >=3.2.3, <4",
     "python-decouple >=3.8, <4",
     "python-xmp-toolkit >=2.0.2, <3",
     "sentry-sdk >=2.19, <3",
diff --git a/api/test/integration/test_auth.py b/api/test/integration/test_auth.py
index 69a58e70dfd..8bb5295e764 100644
--- a/api/test/integration/test_auth.py
+++ b/api/test/integration/test_auth.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 from api.models import OAuth2Verification, ThrottledApplication
 
 
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
+
 cache_availability_params = pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "is_cache_reachable, cache_name",
     [(True, "oauth_cache"), (False, "unreachable_oauth_cache")],
@@ -73,7 +75,6 @@ def test_auth_token_exchange(api_client, test_auth_tokens_registration):
     return res_data
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_auth_token_exchange_unsupported_method(api_client):
     res = api_client.get(
         "/v1/auth_tokens/token/",
@@ -90,7 +91,6 @@ def _integration_verify_most_recent_token(api_client):
     return api_client.get(path)
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "rate_limit_model",
     [x[0] for x in ThrottledApplication.RATE_LIMIT_MODELS],
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ def test_auth_email_verification(
     )
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "rate_limit_model",
     [x[0] for x in ThrottledApplication.RATE_LIMIT_MODELS],
@@ -166,7 +165,6 @@ def test_auth_rate_limit_reporting(
         assert res_data["verified"] is False
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "sort_dir, exp_indexed_on",
     [
@@ -191,7 +189,6 @@ def test_sorting_authed(api_client, test_auth_token_exchange, sort_dir, exp_inde
     assert indexed_on == exp_indexed_on
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "authority_boost, exp_source",
     [
@@ -219,7 +216,6 @@ def test_authority_authed(
     assert source == exp_source
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_invalid_credentials_401(api_client):
     res = api_client.get(
         "/v1/images/", HTTP_AUTHORIZATION="Bearer thisIsNot_ARealToken"
@@ -227,7 +223,6 @@ def test_invalid_credentials_401(api_client):
     assert res.status_code == 401
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_revoked_application_access(api_client, test_auth_token_exchange):
     token = test_auth_token_exchange["access_token"]
     application = AccessToken.objects.get(token=token).application
@@ -258,7 +253,6 @@ def test_revoked_application_access(api_client, test_auth_token_exchange):
         )
     ),
 )
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_page_size_privileges(
     api_client, test_auth_token_exchange, level, page_size_modification, allowed
 ):
@@ -304,7 +298,6 @@ def test_page_size_privileges(
         )
     ),
 )
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_pagination_depth_privileges(
     api_client, test_auth_token_exchange, level, pagination_depth_modification, allowed
 ):
diff --git a/api/test/unit/management/commands/test_generatewaveforms.py b/api/test/unit/management/commands/test_generatewaveforms.py
index c7ca58c6c42..866bace4832 100644
--- a/api/test/unit/management/commands/test_generatewaveforms.py
+++ b/api/test/unit/management/commands/test_generatewaveforms.py
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 from test.factory.models.audio import AudioAddOnFactory, AudioFactory
 
 
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
+
+
 @mock.patch("api.models.audio.generate_peaks")
 def call_generatewaveforms(mock_generate_peaks: mock.MagicMock) -> tuple[str, str]:
     mock_generate_peaks.side_effect = lambda _: WaveformProvider.generate_waveform()
@@ -35,7 +38,6 @@ def assert_all_audio_have_waveforms():
     )
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_creates_waveforms_for_audio():
     AudioFactory.create_batch(153)
 
@@ -46,7 +48,6 @@ def test_creates_waveforms_for_audio():
     assert_all_audio_have_waveforms()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_does_not_reprocess_existing_waveforms():
     waveformless_audio = AudioFactory.create_batch(3)
 
@@ -66,7 +67,6 @@ def test_does_not_reprocess_existing_waveforms():
     assert_all_audio_have_waveforms()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 @mock.patch("api.models.audio.generate_peaks")
 def test_paginates_audio_waveforms_to_generate(
     mock_generate_peaks, django_assert_num_queries
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ def test_paginates_audio_waveforms_to_generate(
     assert_all_audio_have_waveforms()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("exception_class", "exception_args", "exception_kwargs"),
     (
@@ -150,7 +149,6 @@ def test_logs_and_continues_if_waveform_generation_fails(
     )
 
 
-@pytest.mark.django_db
 @mock.patch("api.models.audio.generate_peaks")
 def test_keyboard_interrupt_should_halt_processing(mock_generate_peaks):
     audio_count = 23
diff --git a/api/test/unit/models/test_media_report.py b/api/test/unit/models/test_media_report.py
index d11b3338081..dda85b11665 100644
--- a/api/test/unit/models/test_media_report.py
+++ b/api/test/unit/models/test_media_report.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 )
 
 
-pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db(transaction=True)
 
 reason_params = pytest.mark.parametrize("reason", [DMCA, MATURE, OTHER])
 
diff --git a/api/test/unit/utils/test_moderation.py b/api/test/unit/utils/test_moderation.py
index 76a0454c384..0ac8f506b17 100644
--- a/api/test/unit/utils/test_moderation.py
+++ b/api/test/unit/utils/test_moderation.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 from test.factory.models.oauth2 import UserFactory
 
 
-pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db(transaction=True)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
diff --git a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/cleveland_museum.py b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/cleveland_museum.py
index f1145fc9633..a39872ac56d 100644
--- a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/cleveland_museum.py
+++ b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/cleveland_museum.py
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@
 import logging
 
-from common.licenses import get_license_info
+from common.licenses import LicenseInfo
 from common.loader import provider_details as prov
 from providers.provider_api_scripts.provider_data_ingester import ProviderDataIngester
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-CC0_LICENSE = get_license_info(license_="cc0", license_version="1.0")
+CC0_LICENSE = LicenseInfo(
+    license="cc0",
+    version="1.0",
+    url="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
+)
 
 
 class ClevelandDataIngester(ProviderDataIngester):
diff --git a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/metropolitan_museum.py b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/metropolitan_museum.py
index d38e7942692..cf925337bd6 100644
--- a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/metropolitan_museum.py
+++ b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/metropolitan_museum.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 import argparse
 import logging
 
-from common.licenses import get_license_info
+from common.licenses import LicenseInfo
 from common.loader import provider_details as prov
 from providers.provider_api_scripts.provider_data_ingester import ProviderDataIngester
 
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@
 class MetMuseumDataIngester(ProviderDataIngester):
     providers = {"image": prov.METROPOLITAN_MUSEUM_DEFAULT_PROVIDER}
     endpoint = "https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/public/collection/v1/objects"
-    DEFAULT_LICENSE_INFO = get_license_info(license_="cc0", license_version="1.0")
+    DEFAULT_LICENSE_INFO = LicenseInfo(
+        license="cc0",
+        version="1.0",
+        url="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
+    )
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/nappy.py b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/nappy.py
index 89e06a79004..5a993d3a144 100644
--- a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/nappy.py
+++ b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/nappy.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 import logging
 
 from common import constants
-from common.licenses import get_license_info
+from common.licenses import LicenseInfo
 from common.loader import provider_details as prov
 from providers.provider_api_scripts.provider_data_ingester import ProviderDataIngester
 
@@ -28,8 +28,11 @@ class NappyDataIngester(ProviderDataIngester):
     headers = {"Accept": "application/json"}
 
     # Hardcoded to CC0, the only license Nappy.co uses
-    license_info = get_license_info(
-        "https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/"
+    license_info = LicenseInfo(
+        license="cc0",
+        version="1.0",
+        url="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
+        raw_url=None,
     )
 
     def get_next_query_params(self, prev_query_params: dict | None) -> dict:
diff --git a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/science_museum.py b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/science_museum.py
index d97ea7dbb5b..dd680a56265 100644
--- a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/science_museum.py
+++ b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/science_museum.py
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@
 
 LIMIT = 100
 
-CC0_LICENSE = get_license_info(license_="cc0", license_version="1.0")
+CC0_LICENSE = LicenseInfo(
+    license="cc0",
+    version="1.0",
+    url="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
+)
 
 
 class ScienceMuseumDataIngester(ProviderDataIngester):
diff --git a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/smithsonian.py b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/smithsonian.py
index d23c5130516..60f7d9b8276 100644
--- a/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/smithsonian.py
+++ b/catalog/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/smithsonian.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 from airflow.exceptions import AirflowException
 from airflow.models import Variable
 
-from common.licenses import get_license_info
+from common.licenses import LicenseInfo
 from common.loader import provider_details as prov
 from providers.provider_api_scripts.provider_data_ingester import ProviderDataIngester
 
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.api_key = Variable.get("API_KEY_DATA_GOV")
         self.units_endpoint = f"{self.base_endpoint}terms/unit_code"
-        self.license_info = get_license_info(
-            license_url="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/"
+        self.license_info = LicenseInfo(
+            license="cc0",
+            version="1.0",
+            url="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
         )
 
     def get_fixed_query_params(self):
diff --git a/catalog/tests/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/test_nappy.py b/catalog/tests/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/test_nappy.py
index f925cdbd701..8817525507d 100644
--- a/catalog/tests/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/test_nappy.py
+++ b/catalog/tests/dags/providers/provider_api_scripts/test_nappy.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 )
 
 from common.constants import IMAGE
-from common.licenses import get_license_info
+from common.licenses import LicenseInfo
 from providers.provider_api_scripts.nappy import NappyDataIngester
 
 
@@ -105,8 +105,11 @@ def test_get_should_continue(response_json, expected_result):
             {
                 "foreign_landing_url": "https://nappy.co/photo/9/woman-with-tattoos",
                 "url": "https://images.nappy.co/uploads/large/101591721349meykm7s6hvaswwvslpjrwibeyzru1fcxtxh0hf09cs7kdhmtptef4y3k4ua5z1bkyrbxov8tmagnafm8upwa3hxaxururtx7azaf.jpg",
-                "license_info": get_license_info(
-                    "https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/"
+                "license_info": LicenseInfo(
+                    license="cc0",
+                    version="1.0",
+                    url="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/",
+                    raw_url=None,
                 ),
                 "foreign_identifier": 9,
                 "filesize": 233500,