From Lightroom

You get to Lightroom's metadata templates from Library. Choose Metadata > Edit Metadata Presets... or squeeze the Preset popup found in the Metadata section of the right column. Choose Edit Presets... from the menu:

Fill in all the repeating fields, then save it with a logical name from the Preset popup at the top of the window:

You can now use this preset for all imports, exports, or simply to embed your information into files that are already in your catalog.

In Bridge
Bridge's Metadata Template is shared by many Adobe applications except Lightroom, so the template you create here can be accessed in Photoshop, InDesign, Bridge, Illustrator, Flash, and Fireworks. This is the most direct way, since you don't need to be working on a file to create a new template. Tools > Create Metadata Template.... Then follow the guidelines for Photoshop below.

From Photoshop

From Photoshop, create a new empty document from scratch. If you go to File > File Info, you will be starting here:

Set your template up by entering all of your "constants" and "by year" fields as described in the notes. Most of the information you are concerned with is in the IPTC tab, but also check Description and Origin. Make sure to visit each pane so you don't miss something you need. When you have everything the way you want it to appear on each pane, squeeze the triangle to the left of the Cancel Button and choose Export... Then name this new preset:

Don't forget to scroll to the bottom!

Because applying metadata templates in Photoshop is done by opening each file and applying it from the File > File Info... dialog, it is a lot more efficient to use applications where you select a group of images and apply the metadata in a batch.

In Lightroom

The easiest way to apply metadata templates is on importing images into Lightroom, where it is a completely automated part of the process. Find it in the Metdata popup in the Import dialog:

On import, the metadata will be applied to your images, whether you are importing one or a thousand images.

You may also apply metadata templates to files already in your catalog by choosing your template from the Presets drop-down menu in the Metadata panel of Library:

In Bridge

To use your metadata template in Bridge, select the image or images you'd like to tag and go to Tools > Replace Metadata or Append Metadata and choose the template you saved. You can also do this by accessing the choices from this spot on the corner of the Metadata tab:

In Photoshop
To apply your Metadata Template from Photoshop, you will do it one image at a time through the File > File Info dialog box, accessing your list of templates the same way you saved them. Choose the template you need from the complex little button to the left of the Cancel button. You will be guided through choices on how to apply this information:

Back to the Notes or see an Example of how these templates can be appied to one image.