how to keep a permanent buffer list open?

[Brendan Miller <catphive@catphive.net>]

when I launch emacs I'd like to keep a permanent buffer list open to
one side, so I can visually keep track of what buffers I have open,
without opening and closing the buffer list.

Is there some customisation out there like that, or can someone give
pointers on the elisp to open an emacs window on startup and populate
it with a buffer list, or ibuffer, or whatever?

Basically, I want this to perform the save function that tabs would
i.e. letting me visually keep track of what files/buffers I have open
and switch between them with a mouse click. I figure a buffer list
would be better for keeping track of a large number of buffers, that
would overflow on a tabbar.

Thanks,
Brendan