C-SDK Question - Multithreaded Client

[I posted this earlier but it went into moderation since I wasn't
subscribed - reposting after waiting a day]

I am a little confused on when to use the thread functions when using
LDAP C-SDK (ldap_thread_fns). Mozilla documentation says if I need to
share a LDAP structure among different threads I got to use the thread
functions.

What does "Share" mean in this context - share as in used by different
threads concurrently or shared as in say a connection pool type of
scenario where only one thread uses the LDAP* at one time but any
thread can use any LDAP* at different times, Or does it imply both/
any?

I have some legacy code which uses the C-SDK which currently is
crashing in the threading functions. The code has a connection pool
implementation which uses one separate LDAP* per connection. At any
point of time only one thread uses a given LDAP* but as the
connections are handed over randomly to calling threads, a thread X
may use connection A at one time and after it is done, some other
thread Y may come in and use the same connection A, exclusively for
that time.

Are the threading functions required in this scenario? I ask because I
suspect that once a thread uses a LDAP* it may leave some state behind
that may be problematic when used with other thread and thus I would
end up requiring to use the thread functions.

I also think that I may maintain a static mapping between thread-
>LDAP* and always use the same LDAP* for the particular thread but
since caller threads are randomly created and destroyed this approach
doesn't sound promising.

I seem to recall that the prldap functions automatically take care of
thread safety? Would switching to prldap from plain ldap_* functions
be the wise thing to do here?

Thanks in advance for any clues!

Parag